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== Minister of State Security ==
In 2016 command of the [[Ministry of State Security (China)|MSS]] was split between outgoing Minister of State Security [[Geng Huichang]], and Chen as new Party Secretary. Geng was due to retire, but before leaving he was placed under investigation.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-03-22 |title=Former State Security boss Geng Huichang under scrutiny |url=https://www.intelligenceonline.com/government-intelligence/2017/03/22/former-state-security-boss-geng-huichang-under-scrutiny,108226957-art |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=[[Intelligence Online]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Faligot |first=Roger |title=Chinese Spies: From Chairman Mao to Xi Jinping |publisher=[[Hurst & Company]] |year=2019 |isbn=9781787380967 |edition=2nd |location=London |translator-last=Lehrer |translator-first=Natasha |author-link=Roger Faligot |translator-link=Natasha Lehrer}}</ref> Chen appointed Tang Chao as a "special agent" to look into claims that Geng had used MSS technical means to monitor the communications of senior communist party officials, including [[Hu Jintao]] and
Despite no longer being blamed for the breach, Xi Jinping chose to replace Geng with Chen anyway, clearing the way for a slate of reforms meant to reduce MSS influence, and increase the influence of the First Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, which also conducts foreign intelligence operations.<ref name=":3" /> There had already been a major shakeup of MSS regional offices underway before Chen's appointment, reportedly on the direction of Xi Jinping himself.<ref name=":3" /> Under Chen's new leadership "arrests and purges began to multiply rapidly."<ref name=":3" />
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