The Communist Party's upper echelons have seen a rise in the number of leaders with solid backgrounds in science and technology as President Xi Jinping tries to fend off pressure from the West. The newly elected Central Committee, which makes policy, as well as the new lineup of the influential Politburo, which was announced on Sunday, both reflect the emphasis on science and technology.

At least six of the newest Politburo members have degrees in the sciences and technologies. Their specialties include everything from public health and nuclear power safety to rocket science.

Prior to entering politics, both Zhejiang party secretary Yang Jiajun, 58, and Xinjiang party secretary Ma Xingrui, 63, served as China's top space programme commanders.Environmental experts include Beijing mayor Chen Jining and Shandong party secretary Li Ganjie, both of whom are 57.

The chief executive of China North Industries, the country's largest defence company, is Liaoning party secretary Zhang Guoqing, age 58; Yin Li, age 60, is an expert in public health.

After graduating from Chinese universities, the other four, save Ma and Yuan, pursued their studies abroad. Chen obtained his doctorate in environmental science from Imperial College London, while Li studied nuclear safety in France. Yin attended universities in both the US and Russia, and Zhang graduated from a Harvard executive programme. 

Ma is anticipated to continue as the party boss of Xinjiang, but Chen is anticipated to succeed Cai Qi as the party boss of Beijing after the 66-year-old was elevated to the Politburo Standing Committee. Meanwhile, Yuan is expected to succeed Li Xi as the leader of the Guangdong party. Li has also been elevated to the Politburo Standing Committee, like Cai. In a same vein, more representatives with backgrounds in science and technology have joined the Central Committee's 205 members.

According to state news agency Xinhua, they now number 29, up from 25 five years ago, members of the Chinese Academies of Sciences and Engineering. Additionally, as opposed to 98.1 percent in 2017, 98.9 percent of Central Committee members now hold a tertiary degree in one of the represented scientific subjects.

The promotion of these scientific experts, according to Wu Junfei, a researcher at the Hong Kong-China Economic and Cultural Development Association, not only demonstrated Xi's commitment to developing China's own science and technology strength but also their 'proven loyalty, track record, strong execution, and efficiency.' Xi has committed to support Chinese scientific and technical research and attain 'self-reliance' on technology as the nation struggles to deal with American restrictions, like as prohibitions on cutting-edge semiconductor technologies. The new Chips and Science Act in Washington has also prohibited American companies from opening cutting-edge chip plants in China for the following ten years.