Analysts noted that these officials are generally younger and have more advanced degrees and richer experiences.

Li has a master's degree in business administration and his experience in governance spans 38 years.

Yuan Chunqing, 57, who was appointed secretary of the CPC Shanxi Provincial Committee in May, has a PhD in management and a background in legal studies, economics and management.

Many with non-traditional backgrounds in law, history and philosophy have been appointed to provincial-level posts, experts said.

"It is the result of economic development and increasing social conflicts," Zhu Lijia, a professor of public manage-ment with the Chinese Academy of Governance, said. "Our society has come to an adjustment period from GDP-orient-ed to social harmony-oriented.

Appointing officials with a liberal arts background is a common practice in many developed countries, Zhu added.

Though the practice may be a coincidence, it will become more common after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China meets in 2012, Peng Zhenhuai, a local government studies expert at Peking University, predicted.