Geng Yanbo

Geng Yanbo (Chinese: 耿彦波; born November 1958) is a Chinese politician who served as the mayor of Datong from 2008 to 2013 and the mayor of Taiyuan from 2013 to 2019.

Geng Yanbo
耿彦波
Mayor of Taiyuan
In office April 2013 – 15 January 2019
Preceded by	Lian Yimin
Succeeded by	Li Xiaobo
Mayor of Datong
In office July 2008 – February 2013
Preceded by	Feng Lixiang
Succeeded by	Li Junming
Communist Party Secretary of Yuci District
In office March 2000 – February 2004
Preceded by	Wang Xinyi
Succeeded by	Wang Jianlin
Magistrate of Lingshi County
In office March 1995 – March 2000
Personal details
Born	November 1958 (age 62) Heshun County, Shanxi, China
Nationality	Chinese
Political party	Communist Party of China
Residence	Taiyuan, Shanxi
Alma mater	Shanxi University Central Party School of the Communist Party of China Northwest University Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
Occupation	Politician
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	耿彥波
Simplified Chinese	耿彦波
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Gĕng Yànbō

Biography

Geng was born in Heshun County, Shanxi, in November 1958. He entered the workforce in August 1976, and joined the Communist Party of China in December 1981. In July 1983 he was accepted to Shanxi University, majoring in Chinese language and literary. He also studied at Northwest University, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business and Central Party School of the Communist Party of China as a part-time student.

In April 1993 he was promoted to become deputy party chief of Lingshi County, a position he held until March 2000. He became party chief of Yuci District in March 2000, and served until February 2004. He was deputy secretary-general of Shanxi Provincial Government in February 2004, and held that office until June 2006. He served as vice-mayor of Taiyuan in June 2006, but having held the position for only a year and a half, when he was transferred to Datong and appointed deputy party chief and vice-mayor. During his term in office, he was is known as "Demolition Geng" after he became mayor in 2008. Geng earned his name from his campaign to demolish much of the city center, relocating 40,000 of its 140,000 households, before rebuilding it in an ancient style, with a view to attracting tourists.[1][2] In February 2013 he became vice-mayor of Taiyuan, rising to mayor two months later.

On January 15, 2019, Geng resigned.[3]

A 2014 documentary The Chinese Mayor is based on Geng Yanbo.

References

1. Peter Barefoot (21 February 2013). "Mayor To Be Transferred, Residents Plead for Him to Stay". chinasmack. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
2. DEBRA BRUNO (18 June 2014). "The Strange Case of Datong, China's Half-Finished Faux 'Ancient' City". citylab. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
3. 李晓波任山西太原代市长 耿彦波主政近6年辞职. sina (in Chinese). 2019-01-15.

External links