Ma Xingrui

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Ma.

Ma Xingrui (Chinese: 马兴瑞; born October 1959) is a Chinese aerospace engineer and politician who is the Communist Party Secretary of Shenzhen, China's most prominent special economic zone. He concurrently serves as the Deputy Secretary of Guangdong Province. Prior to his posting to Shenzhen he had also served as the head of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the provincial party organization. Ma is a full member of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Ma Xingrui is recognized as one of China's top scientists. He previously served as Vice President of Harbin Institute of Technology, General Manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Director of the China National Space Administration, and chief commander of Chang'e 3, China's first lunar exploration mission.

Education and academic career

Ma Xingrui was born in October 1959 in Shuangyashan, Heilongjiang province. His branch of the family migrated from Yuncheng County, Shandong to Shuangyashan in the 1930s during his grandfather's generation. 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.

Aerospace industry

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. In September 2007, Ma was promoted to General Manager of CASC.

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

Political career

In 2012, Ma was elected as a full member of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. 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. 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.