ZTE to Replace Top Exec as China Seeks to Lift U.S. Ban

ZTE Corp., the Chinese telecom company that’s become a focal point of the nation’s trade dispute with the U.S., has replaced one of its most powerful executives in a move that may signal efforts to placate American demands.

Tian Dongfang, a ZTE non-executive director who’s also chief of a think-tank under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., has already assumed the role of party secretary, people familiar with matter said, asking not to be named talking about internal decisions. He replaces Fan Qingfeng in a position that’s considered the ultimate responsibility in an era when Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the Communist Party to lead in all things.