During December 2009 and January 2010, there were significant changes in the minister and provincial level officials, and from the Central Committees of the Communist Party of China to the State Council’s several core agencies, including provinces.
Xinhua republished a report from China News Weekly stating that the focus must be on official retirements and appointments. The focus includes: consideration of age (younger) and education (with advanced degrees); switching between local (province) and the central government; and promoting females. This cycle of official changes is also a dry run for the newly published “2010-2020 outline plan to deepen the reform of the cadre and personnel system.”
Source: Xinhua, January 20, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-01/20/content_12844485.htm