Beijing’s decision to instruct promising cadres on logistics and resources reflects a sober outlook on trade relations, observers say
6-MIN READ6-MIN ListenWilliam Zhengin Hong KongandSylvie Zhuangin BeijingPublished: 6:00am, 10 Mar 2026In his decades toiling as a health official in a coastal Chinese province, Alan Chen has rarely had to study a subject about which he knew so little.
For six months, Chen joined hundreds of middle-aged officials from across China and various disciplines for studies to prepare promising mid-level cadres to take on bigger roles in China.
In the past, much of the focus has been on political ideology, decision-making and international relations, but now the officials are being instructed on area that is more important than ever: supply chains and economic security.
The school is one of the main ways Beijing grooms talent, enabling cadres to leave their jobs and study full time for a semester.
