Gasgoo.com (Shanghai September 7) - FAW Group, Chinese partner of Toyota, VW and other major manufacturers, announced yesterday that current Vice President Xu Xianping would be assuming the role of group president, the Beijing Times reported today. Mr. Xu will assume the role in ten days.

Mr. Xu, now 47, has worked with the company before as deputy head for FAW-Toyota's planning program, president of the Tianjin FAW Xiali branch and secretary to FAW Group president. He was previously considered the ninth most important figure at the manufacturer.

FAW held a summit last December announcing several important internal reshuffles and other decisions, including the establishment of a board of directors, to be made at the manufacturer in the coming year. Ever since, the question of who would be appointed to the role of group president has been a question attracting intense media speculation.