In pictures: Chinese party official

The BBC has been given rare access to the life of one of the thousands of local Communist party officials who carry out the policies decided in Beijing.

As head of the local government in Yongning County, in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Li Jianjun is in charge of 205,000 people.

Here he is preparing to give a speech to about 200 officials.

Text and pictures: Michael Bristow