Lan Shaomin moved to Beijing, where his position was adjusted six times over six years.
Praise has poured in, with widespread acclaim. While his position has changed, his reputation remains.
During his tenure as the top official in Suzhou, wherever a project was signed or launched, Secretary Lan was there.
“Strong ability to solve practical problems, passionate and decisive in getting things done.” This assessment of Secretary Lan by the Provincial Party Committee left a deep impression on the outside world.
Wherever he served, he consistently upheld a “user-centric mindset” and “customer-oriented philosophy.” At its core, this approach focused on cultivating and building an optimal business environment for the city.
With a single phrase—“Don’t ask what I think; just ask what you think”—Lan Shaomin declared to all of China and the world: This is the most comfortable business environment.
01 Choosing a Career in Politics: 6 Reassignments in 6 Years
Lan Shaomin is originally from Dapu, Guangdong, but grew up in Jiangsu. He attended Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and has worked in Jiangsu ever since graduation.
He previously served as deputy Party secretary and Party secretary at two large state-owned enterprises. This experience as a front-line corporate official gave him a deeper understanding of grassroots operations and enterprises, while also instilling in him a spirit of reform and innovation.
He subsequently entered the political arena, serving successively as Party Secretary of Rugao City (under the jurisdiction of Nantong), Member of the Standing Committee of the Nantong Municipal Party Committee, and Executive Vice Mayor of Nantong.
Starting in 2011, he served as Deputy Secretary of the Suqian Municipal Party Committee, Acting Mayor, Mayor, and Secretary of the Suqian Municipal Party Committee; in July 2014, he took charge of Taizhou, serving as Secretary of the Taizhou Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People’s Congress.
In March 2017, he was promoted to Vice Governor of Jiangsu Province and later served as Mayor of Nanjing. In August 2019, he was appointed a member of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee.
In September 2020, he was transferred across provincial lines to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Guizhou Provincial Party Committee. In May 2022, he was reassigned as Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Guizhou Provincial People’s Congress. In January of this year, he moved north to Heilongjiang.
It is clear that his extensive experience and comprehensive training have shaped his distinctive strengths: a knack for macro-level decision-making and a bold commitment to reform and innovation.
During his tenure in Nantong, he coined the slogan, “Choosing Nantong means choosing Shanghai.”
While leading Suqian, he forged the exemplary “Suqian Model,” prioritizing investment in scientific and technological innovation over road construction.
While leading Taizhou, he acted with decisive vigor and a bold management style, establishing the “Snail Award,” which sent shockwaves through the local bureaucracy and brought about a complete transformation in Party conduct, government ethics, and public service standards.
Currently, under unique urban development models, the role of city leaders is becoming increasingly significant. If the nation were a large corporation or headquarters, each city would be a branch office advancing in unison yet competing with one another.
To a certain extent, the general manager of a branch with strong operational capabilities determines the branch’s future prospects.
02 Four Cities, Pioneers in Investment Promotion
Before coming to Suzhou, in addition to serving as Vice Governor of the provincial government, Lan Shaomin had previously worked in four cities: Nantong, Suqian, Taizhou, and Nanjing.
Coincidentally, all four of these cities share deep historical ties with Suzhou.
From the collaborative launch of the Sutong Bridge and the Sutong Science and Technology Park, to the Sutong Industrial Park leading the way in joint development between northern and southern industrial zones; from Suzhou and Taizhou’s participation in building the Yangtze River Urban Cluster and their joint promotion of cross-river integrated development, to the two cities jointly advancing the construction of the Southern Jiangsu National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone—these efforts have established them as Jiangsu’s two major innovation hubs and two key growth poles in the Yangtze River Delta region.
Back then, the terms “front parlor” and “back garden” vividly captured the relationship between Suzhou and Nantong. With the opening of the Sutong Bridge, economic and trade ties between the two regions grew even closer.
This connection brought about changes in industrial restructuring and prompted the adoption of a development strategy that emphasized differentiation and cooperative competition with Suzhou. The focus shifted to developing four leading industries—shipbuilding, new energy, precision electronics, and high-end textiles—as the driving forces and pillars of Nantong’s new round of development.
I recall that “600862 Nantong Technology,” as Nantong’s first listed company, was on the brink of collapse. However, the government withstood the pressure to declare bankruptcy and, through policy support, facilitated the company’s restructuring.
Nantong marked the beginning of Lan Shaomin’s political career; he later served as the top official in Suqian, Taizhou, Nanjing, and Suzhou.
Later, in Taizhou, the 2014 Project Breakthrough Mobilization Conference was the highest-level, largest-scale, and most extensive meeting in Taizhou’s history, attended by 3,000 people.
Lan Shaomin opened the event with a humorous remark: “Sometimes, unless you push yourself, you’ll never know how much potential you have.”
If you were given 100 kilograms of newspapers, you’d surely say you couldn’t lift them, but if you were given 100 kilograms of RMB, you’d surely say, ‘I can lift that—I could even run with it.’
The crux of the matter lies in pushing ourselves—only then can we discover just how much potential we possess.
In 2016, Lan Shaomin first proposed the establishment of the “Snail Award,” which is presented to officials who fail to effectively advance key projects, inadequately fulfill administrative duties, or promptly address public concerns. This initiative serves as a crucial measure to crack down on incompetence, laziness, and dereliction of duty, and to resolve issues of “inaction and sluggishness.”
After taking up his post in Suzhou, Lan Shaomin implemented a series of measures that transformed Suzhou into an “internet-famous city.”
In the 1990s, amid fierce competition among several cities, Suzhou secured the Singapore Industrial Park. It was precisely the establishment of the China-Singapore Industrial Park that enabled Suzhou to maintain over a decade of rapid development. Throughout this process, Zhang Xinsheng, then mayor of Suzhou, played a crucial role.
Suzhou has historically held a low political profile and reaped few political dividends; the achievements it has attained today are the result of its own hard work and perseverance. Therefore, to sustain high-speed development, there is a greater need for a pragmatic and capable leader.
Back then, Secretary Lan’s arrival reignited the potential for Suzhou’s leapfrog development. In just over a year in office, he left a significant mark on the city.
Shortly after arriving in Suzhou, he convened a mobilization rally in Zhangjiagang, urging the city to take the lead in Suzhou’s new round of development, acting as a “catfish” to once again stir up the “still waters” of Suzhou’s development and “recreate a fiery era comparable to the passionate, enterprising spirit of the 1990s.”
Following Zhangjiagang, other districts and counties such as Kunshan held their own mobilization rallies one after another. Across the ten districts and cities, a competitive spirit took hold, with each striving to outdo the others.
“No matter how late it is today, it’s still early; no matter how early it is tomorrow, it’s still late.” This slogan is both pragmatic and deeply inspiring, stirring the soul.
Suzhou not only delivers on its promises but also frequently makes a name for itself nationwide. For capable leaders, unexpected events present even greater opportunities. During the pandemic, Suzhou’s execution capabilities and various measures allowed the city to take center stage.
Additionally, at the “Re-launch for Development” conference attended by 3,000 people, a total investment of 735.9 billion yuan was announced, with 556 major projects signed. The slogan “When capital comes to China, Suzhou is the first stop; when projects come to China, Suzhou is the top choice!” was proposed.
In the Jiangsu political arena, once renowned for producing a succession of capable officials, stories of Lan Shaomin’s political career are widely circulated.
03 Bold and Pioneering, Seeking Truth from Facts
For a leader, the ability to identify problems is, in itself, a sign of progress. Without “disruptors,” a region can easily become complacent and stagnant.
Highly regarded by local authorities, the passionate Lan Shaomin, through his vigorous “stirring,” has revitalized the private economy, transforming it into a “pool of spring water.”
What left the deepest impression was Secretary Lan’s interaction with entrepreneurs in a WeChat group in Suzhou.
Entrepreneurs could share their good ideas, opinions, and suggestions—including requests for services from the Party committee and government—in the group. City leaders would carefully review everyone’s messages and continuously improve and advance their work.
Based on different categories, the first batch of three WeChat groups was established, named respectively “Rooted in Suzhou, Boldly Building Great Enterprises,” “The Most Determined, Most Passionate, and Most Outstanding,” and “Riding the Wave of Opportunity.”
"Rooted in Suzhou, Boldly Building Great Enterprises" group: Key executives of private enterprises listed in the "Fortune Global 500," "2019 Top 500 Chinese Enterprises," "2019 Top 500 Chinese Private Enterprises," and "2019 Top 500 Chinese Private Manufacturing Enterprises," as well as Vice Chairpersons and Vice Presidents of the Suzhou Federation of Industry and Commerce.
“The Most Determined, Passionate, and Outstanding” Group: Key executives of private enterprises with industry representation and social influence.
“Riding the Wave” Group: Key executives of Suzhou’s “Little Giant” enterprises.
One notable detail is that while seating arrangements are typically strictly regulated at government-led conferences, at this event, Lan Shaomin reserved the “center stage” for the entrepreneurs.
It is understood that the seating arrangement below the stage was divided into three sections: left, center, and right. The first six rows of the center section were reserved for entrepreneurs. Seated behind the entrepreneurs and in the side sections were leaders from the Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee, the Municipal Government, the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and relevant departments.
As a result, Suzhou has become the first city in the country to propose the philosophy of “being business-friendly, ensuring business stability, and enriching businesses,” and has established “three systems” for this purpose, including monthly salons.
If Lan Shaomin were to remain in office in Suzhou for a few more years, given this pragmatic momentum and development trajectory, Suzhou’s future growth would be immeasurable.
Conclusion
Lan Shaomin’s leadership was characterized by “breaking the mold”—opening the city’s doors to the world, liberating mindsets, developing a market economy, breaking down old barriers, and sparking new vitality. Ultimately, his governance achievements became widely celebrated, and his investment promotion strategies served as a model for others.
There is no glory that comes from waiting; there is only brilliance forged through hard work.
