Ma Xingrui

Ma Xingrui was born in October 1959 in Shuangyashan, Heilongjiang province, to a family of mine workers in China's industrial northeast.[2] His branch of the family migrated from Yuncheng County, Shandong to Shuangyashan in the 1930s during his grandfather's generation.[2] He received a bachelor's degree at Fuxin Mining College (now Liaoning University of Technology) in 1982, and went on to graduate school for general mechanics at Tianjin University. He earned his doctorate in mechanics at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT). He joined the Communist Party of China in January 1988. He stayed at HIT to pursue post-doctoral work, and was named a professor in 1991. In April 1992 he became dean of the school of mechanics at the institute. In April 1996 he was named vice president of the institute.[3]

In May 1996 Ma was appointed Vice-Dean of Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST), and became the leader and chief engineer of the Shijian 5 satellite project. In 1999 he was named deputy general manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). In December 2003 he was additionally appointed Chairman of the Sino Satellite Communications Company and worked on various lunar missions.[3] In September 2007, Ma was promoted to General Manager of CASC.[4]

In 2013 Ma was appointed Director of the China National Space Administration,[1] Director of the China Atomic Energy Authority, Director of the SASTIND, and Vice-Minister of Industry and Information Technology.[4] He was the chief commander of the successful Chang'e 3 mission, China's first lunar surface exploration.[1]

In 2012, Ma was elected as a full member of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.[4] In November 2013, Ma left his posts in the world of science and was transferred to Guangdong to serve as deputy party chief of the province and concurrently the Secretary of the provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission. In March 2015, he was named Communist Party Secretary of Shenzhen, replacing Wang Rong.[1] Ma's appointment in Shenzhen placed him in his first executive party leadership role. His appointment also elevated the status of the office, given that his predecessor Wang is only an alternate member of the Central Committee, while Ma is a full member.[5]

In December 2016, Ma was appointed as the acting Governor of Guangdong. In a break with tradition, Ma became the first governor in over 30 years to have not been native to the province.[6] Ma was elected as the Governor of Guangdong on January 23, 2017.[7]