Li Xuejun's public profile is on the rise.

Internally, he has been presiding over board meetings and shareholder meetings at China Post Life Insurance Co., Ltd..

Externally, he led the senior management team at the company's 2026 media open day to analyze the industry's new cycle.

Since the departure of Chairman Han Guangyue in February 2026, Li Xuejun, as General Manager, has been acting in the chairman's capacity, shouldering significant responsibilities.

After several months of preparation, Li Xuejun assumed the role of Party Secretary at China Post Life in June.

In July, the company officially announced that Li Xuejun had stepped down as General Manager, with Deputy General Manager Yang Liguo taking over as interim head.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Li Xuejun is set to become Chairman of China Post Life upon regulatory approval.

Li Xuejun has consistently been an exception at China Post Life.

In 2021, he became the company's first externally hired, market-oriented General Manager through a public recruitment campaign.

Next, he is poised to become its first market-oriented Chairman.

Prior to this, all chairmen and general managers at China Post Life came from the postal system.

As the company seeks to deepen market-oriented reforms, Li Xuejun is a pivotal figure in driving this transformation.

With experience at China Life Insurance Company Limited, Sunshine Insurance Group, and PICC Life Insurance Company Limited, Li Xuejun brings a diverse perspective from state-owned banking affiliates, traditional leading life insurers, and market-oriented insurance groups. He possesses professional expertise in strategic planning, business expansion, and resource coordination, leading to heightened market awareness.

Since Li Xuejun became General Manager, China Post Life's insurance revenue grew from RMB 85.809 billion in 2021 to RMB 159.166 billion in 2025, nearly doubling in four years.

Compared to the industry, China Post Life still has considerable room for growth.

Among unlisted insurers, Taikang Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and China Post Life, as the only two life insurers with revenue exceeding RMB 100 billion, have long vied for the top spot.

In the first quarter of 2026, China Post Life's insurance revenue once again surpassed that of Taikang Life.

By the end of Q1 2026, China Post Life's insurance revenue reached RMB 89.904 billion, a year-on-year increase of 12.23%, while Taikang Life's revenue was RMB 84.928 billion, up 21.28% year-on-year.

This quarterly performance breakthrough lays a foundation for the new management duo of Li Xuejun and Yang Liguo, while also bringing considerable pressure.

China Post Life temporarily claimed the top spot by leveraging short-term volume growth through the Postal Savings Bank of China bancassurance channel, but such leads are typically hard to sustain.

For instance, in Q1 2025, China Post Life's insurance revenue surpassed Taikang Life's for the first time, by RMB 10.081 billion.

However, for the full year 2025, China Post Life's insurance revenue was nearly RMB 80 billion less than Taikang Life's.

It is worth noting that the revenue gap between China Post Life and Taikang Life exceeded RMB 90 billion in both 2023 and 2024.

Catching up to Taikang Life is no easy task for China Post Life.

Firstly, their foundations differ.

As of the end of Q1 2026, China Post Life's total assets stood at RMB 725.7 billion, while Taikang Life's were RMB 2.04 trillion—a difference of over RMB 1 trillion.

Secondly, their channel structures are different.

Taikang Life primarily relies on individual agent channels, supplemented by bancassurance, whereas China Post Life's channel structure is highly concentrated, with bancassurance accounting for over 98% of policy premiums and zero individual agents.

In terms of long-term competitiveness, Taikang Life holds a significant lead.

Nevertheless, Li Xuejun is determined to make a concerted effort.

China Post Life has revealed its "Hundreds, Thousands, Ten Thousands" target—by the end of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, it aims for annual profits to stabilize around RMB 10 billion, a Contractual Service Margin (CSM) to stabilize at RMB 100 billion, and total company assets to reach RMB 1 trillion.

China Post Life is also building up its capital reserves.

In July, the company's shareholders approved a proposal regarding a capital replenishment bond issuance plan.

Previously, in March, China Post Life received regulatory approval to issue perpetual capital bonds with a maximum size of RMB 1.2 billion.