Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 22:55, 4 May 2022

The Shanghai clique (simplified Chinese: 上海帮; traditional Chinese: 上海幫; pinyin: Shànghǎi bāng) is the name given to an informal group of officials in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), especially those who serve in the Central Committee or the Central Government of China, who rose to prominence in connection to the Shanghai municipal administration under Jiang Zemin, former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

This phrase was used somewhat pejoratively to describe Jiang's efforts to promote people who previously worked, or were associated with, his administration in Shanghai. Some of the "Shanghai clique" members are not originally from Shanghai, rather, the city is where they reached political prominence. It is more appropriately referred to as the "Jiang clique" or as "Jiang Zemin's faction". Additionally, it is sometimes referred to as the "Shanghai Gang".

Members of the Shanghai clique are marked by their tendency to represent urban business interests of the coastal regions, many of them princelings, the children of revolutionary veterans, and their expertise in commercial affairs.

Members

Important people who have been identified as belonging to the clique include incumbent standing members of the powerful Politburo of the CCP Central Committee.

Clique

These people have been commonly identified as members of the Shanghai clique:

• Jiang Zemin, former General Secretary of the Communist Party
• Wu Bangguo
• Huang Ju
• Zeng Qinghong
• Jia Qinglin
• Chen Liangyu
• Chen Zhili
• Jia Ting'an

Meng Jianzhu, successor of Zhou Yongkang, also served in prominent positions in Shanghai, however they are not closely associated with Jiang and thus are usually not named as part of the Shanghai clique. Likewise, Premier Zhu Rongji, while having climbed through the ranks in Shanghai, was not necessarily associated with Jiang personally.

Inner circle

The following individuals owe part of their career advancement to personal support from Jiang. They are listed in rough order of how often they are associated as being part of Jiang's inner circle:

• Li Changchun
• Zhou Yongkang
• Zhang Dejiang
• Liu Yunshan
• Zhang Gaoli
• Yang Xiong
• Han Zheng
• Zeng Peiyan
• Hui Liangyu
• Liu Qi
• Hua Jianmin
• Wu Guanzheng

The Development and Influence of the Shanghai Clique after the 20th century

Outside mainland China, after Hu Jintao became general secretary of the CCP Central Committee in 2002, there have been many commentary books on the relationship between the Shanghai Gang and the central government headed by Hu at that time. It is still taboo to talk about within the mainland. In the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee elected by the 16th and 17th CCP National Congresses, the "Shanghai Gang" occupied several positions on the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee. Jiang Zemin himself also continued to serve as the chairman of the CCP Central Military Commission after Hu Jintao became the general secretary of the CCP Central Committee. In 2004, he resigned as Chairman of the Military Commission at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party on September 19, 2004, but still retained his office of the Chairman of the Military Commission until the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012.

Retirement

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Upon Jiang's retirement in 2004, it was widely believed that he stuffed the Politburo Standing Committee with his 'own men', and was making it difficult for Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao to carry out their own policies. Evidence for this theory included the 5th Plenary Meeting of 16th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, when Hu's efforts to reshuffle the Politburo was blocked by members of the Shanghai Clique. Wen's macro-economic measures aimed at slowing down infrastructure growth and nationwide overheating in the property sector received great resistance from alleged members of this clique until the fall of Chen Liangyu in September 2006.

However, as Jiang had retired from all of his positions at the 4th Plenary Meeting of 16th National Congress of the CCP, Hu Jintao became the legitimate Paramount leader. There were signs of important members of the Shanghai Clique defecting to Hu's camp, thereby strengthening Hu's position. In addition, in a bold move in September 2006, Hu acted to purge prominent rival Chen Liangyu, former Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary and Mayor of Shanghai, for alleged corruption, thus strengthening his position both within the party and in China. Follow the death of Huang Ju and retirement of Zeng Qinghong in 2007, the Shanghai clique was no longer as powerful as before after the 17th Party Congress.

After Hu left office in 2012, the influence of the Shanghai clique was no longer a visible feature of the Chinese political landscape. Some of the inner members of Shanghai clique including Zhou Yongkang and Guo Boxiong were being prosecuted under the anti-corruption started after the 18th Party Congress leading by Xi Jinping and Wang Qishan. China Leadership Monitor, which calls the group the "Shanghai Gang", has identified Han Zheng and Wang Huning (who both joined the Politburo Standing Committee in 2017) as members.

2006: Hu Jintao starts to crack down on the Shanghai Clique

On September 24, 2006, Chen Liangyu, secretary of the CCP Shanghai Municipal Committee, who was an important member of the Shanghai Gang, was dismissed for his involvement in the Shanghai Social Security Fund case; overseas media pointed out that this was the "(Communist Youth) Youth League, headed by Hu Jintao, then General Secretary of the CCP Central Committee. Faction's campaign against the Shanghai Gang in the name of anti-corruption led to the resignation of Chen Liangyu. After Chen Liangyu stepped down, Xi Jinping, then secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, was transferred to Shanghai in March 2007 to serve as the secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, becoming the first municipal Party secretary to be parachuted from other places since 1985.

On June 2, 2007, Huang Ju, then a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, passed away, which was another important blow to the Shanghai Gang. Faguang quoted Taiwan's Central News Agency as saying that Huang Ju was an important member of the Shanghai Gang, whose "disappearance" was full of political connotations, and was regarded as an important indicator to observe the current CCP General Secretary Hu Jintao and his predecessor Jiang Zemin's strength. Huang Ju's wife, Yu Huiwen, was accused of illegally using billions of yuan in Shanghai social security funds. Less than two months after Huang Ju's death, Wang Weigong, deputy general manager of Shanghai Shenergy Group, who had served as Huang Ju's secretary, was also arrested for his involvement in the Shanghai Social Security Fund case.

On October 15, 2007, the 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party was held. After that, Zeng Qinghong, who was considered to be the core figure of the Shanghai Gang, retired, and Li Keqiang, the former first secretary of the Communist Youth League Central Committee, joined the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, marking the beginning of the Youth League faction.

In 2011, Commonwealth magazine stated that the power struggle between the central government of the Chinese Communist Party controlled by Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao and the local forces in Shanghai led by Jiang Zemin had worsened because the Shanghai Gang advocated that economic development in coastal areas should not be affected by overemphasizing the development of rural areas.

2012: Xi Jinping takes power

In November 2012, Xi Jinping took over as General Secretary of the CCP Central Committee, and Wu Bangguo, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun and Zhou Yongkang, who were regarded as important members of the Shanghai Gang among the 17th Central Political Bureau Standing Committee, retired after the 18th CCP National Congress. Among the newly elected members of the Politburo Standing Committee of the 18th Central Committee, the Jiang faction is still considered to have the majority. However, after Xi Jinping and Wang Qishan launched an anti-corruption campaign after the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, many Jiang faction officials were sacked in this anti-corruption campaign, including Zhou Yongkang, the former secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Guo Boxiong and Guo Boxiong, the former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party. Xu Caihou and others.

2014: The Central Inspection Team visited Shanghai

According to a BBC report, on July 29, 2014, after Zhou Yongkang was announced to be under investigation, the Central Inspection Team was stationed in Shanghai. Zhou Yongkang, a former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee, is regarded as Jiang Zemin's confidant, and Shanghai is Jiang Zemin's base. After the central inspection team arrived in Shanghai, Wang Zongnan, the former chairman of Shanghai Bright Food Group, was put on file. Wang Zongnan was one of Jiang Zemin's confidants. Zhou Yongkang is the target of Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign. On August 1, 2014, the Liberty Times quoted the Financial Times as saying that Jiang Zemin, who was 87 years old at the time, had stepped down as General Secretary of the CCP Central Committee after the 16th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in 2002 and resigned from the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee. The gang” still retains huge influence within the party. Four or five of the seven standing members of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee are members of the Jiang faction. The current general secretary Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign will turn to Jiang Zemin’s stronghold, the Shanghai Gang. The inspection team of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection was stationed in Shanghai, and people with knowledge of the matter told the Financial Times that Jiang Zemin’s influence in the party and the military had angered Xi, and the anti-corruption investigation had targeted many of Jiang Zemin’s cronies, including Xu Caihou, the former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, who served as Wang Zongnan, chairman of Bright Food Group, was also investigated on suspicion of embezzling public funds and accepting bribes. On October 29, 2014, Zhang Wenyue, head of the second inspection team of the Central Committee, reported to Han Zheng, Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the problems existing in Shanghai's officialdom, and handed over some leading cadres' clues to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Central Organization Department and other departments.

2017: After the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party

In October 2017, the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party was held. Among the members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee, Zhang Dejiang, Liu Yunshan, Zhang Gaoli, who were regarded as members of the Jiang faction, and Yu Zhengsheng, a former secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, and Guo Boxiong, who were regarded as important members of the Jiang faction. Fan Changlong, the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, all retired after the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. Han Zheng, who was the last member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 19th CCP Central Committee, was regarded by some as a member of the Shanghai Gang. Li Qiang and Ying Yong, Xi Jinping's former ministries in Zhejiang, broke the convention that since 1991, all the mayors of Shanghai have been local officials.

2020: The Central Inspection Team visited Shanghai

From October to December 2020, the sixth round of inspections of the 19th Central Committee was officially launched, and the fourth inspection team of the Central Committee will visit Shanghai again after a lapse of six years. On February 3, 2021, Zhao Fengtong, the leader of the Fourth Inspection Team of the Central Committee, reported to Li Qiang, Secretary of the CCP Shanghai Municipal Committee, the problems existing in Shanghai's officialdom, and handed over the clues of some leading cadres to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Central Organization Department.

See also

• Politics of China
• Tuanpai
• Qinghua clique

References

1. ^ David M. Finkelstein; Maryanne Kivlehan (2015). China's Leadership in the Twenty-First Century: The Rise of the Fourth Generation. Routledge. p. 103. ISBN 978-1-317-47492-0.
2. http://news.memehk.com/posts/5187a
3. ^ Li, Cheng (28 February 2007). "Was the Shanghai Gang Shanghaied?—The Fall of Chen Liangyu and the Survival of Jiang Zemin's Faction". Hoover Institution. Retrieved 24 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
4. Lai, Alexis. "One party, two coalitions - China's factional politics". CNN.
5. "Shanghai mayor Han Zheng at the crossroads". South China Morning Post. 22 September 2012. Han is part of the Shanghai clique, drawing power and possibly protection from former leader Jiang Zemin .
6. ^ https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/09/140923_shanghai_gang
7. https://www.hk01.com/中共百科/123316/江澤民退休十餘年-上海幫-已成明日黃花
8. BBC article Top China leader fired for graft published 25 September 2006
9. https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/09/140923_shanghai_gang
10. ^ http://www1.rfi.fr/actucn/articles/090/article_2407.asp
11. http://finance.sina.com.cn/g/20070803/10243849301.shtml
12. https://www.cw.com.tw/article/5009696
13. ^ https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/800792
14. ^ https://www.ccdi.gov.cn/yaowen/202010/t20201011_226906.html

v t e Chinese Communist Party
Central Committee	Leader Chen Duxiu (1921–1927) Xiang Zhongfa (1928–1931) Bo Gu (1931–1935) Zhang Wentian (1935–1943) Mao Zedong (1943–1976) Hua Guofeng (1976–1981) Hu Yaobang (1981–1987) Zhao Ziyang (1987–1989) Jiang Zemin (1989–2002) Hu Jintao (2002–2012) Xi Jinping (2012–present) Decision-making bodies General Secretary Politburo (Standing Committee) Secretariat Central Military Commission Departments Organization Department Publicity Department United Front Work Department International Department Social Work Department Political and Legal Affairs Commission Directly administered General Office Office of the General Secretary Central Guard Bureau Central Guard Unit Secrecy Office Cryptography Office Central Archives Policy Research Office Commissions for co-ordination Auditing Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Comprehensively Law-Based Governance Financial Financial and Economic Affairs Foreign Affairs Cyberspace Affairs Office National Security Science and Technology Spiritual Civilization Institutional Organization Office Secrecy Office Dispatched institutions for co-ordination Working Committee of Central and State Organs Central Financial Work Commission Hong Kong Work Committee Macau Work Committee Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong Leading groups Cryptography Work Office Education Rural Work Inspection Work Military Reform Propaganda, Ideology and Culture Taiwan Office Hong Kong and Macau Office Others Central Party School Chinese Academy of Governance Institute of Party History and Literature People's Daily Qiushi Guangming Daily Executive Leadership Academies Pudong Yan'an Jinggangshan
National Congress	1st (1921) 2nd (1922) 3rd (1923) 4th (1925) 5th (1927) 6th (1928) 7th (1945) 8th (1956) 9th (1969) 10th (1973) 11th (1977) 12th (1982) 13th (1987) 14th (1992) 15th (1997) 16th (2002) 17th (2007) 18th (2012) 19th (2017) 20th (2022)
Leadership sittings	Elected by the Central Committee Politburo Standing Committee 4th: 1927 5th: 1927–1928 6th: 1928–1945 7th: 1945–1956 8th: 1956–1969 9th: 1969–1973 10th: 1973–1977 11th: 1977–1982 12th: 1982–1987 13th: 1987–1992 14th: 1992–1997 15th: 1997–2002 16th: 2002–2007 17th: 2007–2012 18th: 2012–2017 19th: 2017–2022 20th: 2022–2027 Politburo 3rd: 1923–1925 4th: 1925–1927 5th: 1927–1928 6th: 1928–1945 7th: 1945–1956 8th: 1956–1969 9th: 1969–1973 10th: 1973–1977 11th: 1977–1982 12th: 1982–1987 13th: 1987–1992 14th: 1992–1997 15th: 1997–2002 16th: 2002–2007 17th: 2007–2012 18th: 2012–2017 19th: 2017–2022 20th: 2022–2027 Military Commission 7th: 1945–1949 & 1954–1956 8th: 1956–1969 9th: 1969–1973 10th: 1973–1977 11th: 1977–1982 12th: 1982–1987 13th: 1987–1992 14th: 1992–1997 15th: 1997–2002 16th: 2002–2007 17th: 2007–2012 18th: 2012–2017 19th: 2017–2022 20th: 2022–2027 Approved by the Central Committee Secretariat 8th: 1956–1969 11th: 1980–1982 12th: 1982–1987 13th: 1987–1992 14th: 1992–1997 15th: 1997–2002 16th: 2002–2007 17th: 2007–2012 18th: 2012–2017 19th: 2017–2022 20th: 2022–2027 CCDI Standing Committee 7th 1949–1956 8th: 1956–1969 11th: 1978–1982 12th: 1982–1987 13th: 1987–1992 14th: 1992–1997 15th: 1997–2002 16th: 2002–2007 17th: 2007–2012 18th: 2012–2017 19th: 2017–2022 20th: 2022–2027 CCDI Secretary Zhu De (1949–55) Dong Biwu (1955–68) Chen Yun (1978–87) Qiao Shi (1987–92) Wei Jianxing (1992–2002) Wu Guanzheng (2002–07) He Guoqiang (2007–12) Wang Qishan (2012–17) Zhao Leji (2017–22) Li Xi (2022–) Others Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Secretary General of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Elected by National Congress Central Committee 1st: 1921–1922 2nd: 1922–1923 3rd: 1923–1925 4th: 1925–1927 5th: 1927–1928 6th: 1928–1945 7th: 1945–1956 8th: 1956–1969 9th: 1969–1973 10th: 1973–1977 11th: 1977–1982 12th: 1982–1987 13th: 1987–1992 14th: 1992–1997 15th: 1997–2002 16th: 2002–2007 17th: 2007–2012 18th: 2012–2017 19th: 2017–2022 20th: 2022–2027 Discipline Inspection 5th: 1927–1928 6th: 1928–1933 & 1933–1945 7th: 1949–1955 & 1955–1956 8th: 1956–1969 11th: 1978–1982 12th: 1982–1987 13th: 1987–1992 14th: 1992–1997 15th: 1997–2022 16th: 2002–2007 17th: 2007–2012 18th: 2012–2017 19th: 2017–2022 20th: 2022–2027
Wider organisation	People's Liberation Army People's Armed Police Militia (China) Communist Youth League of China Young Pioneers of China United front (China) People's organization
Ideologies	Marxism–Leninism Mao Zedong Thought Socialism with Chinese characteristics Deng Xiaoping Theory Three Represents Scientific Outlook on Development Xi Jinping Thought
Groupings	Shanghai clique Tuanpai Tsinghua clique Eight Elders Crown Prince Party Fujian clique New Zhijiang Army Xishan Society Gang of Four 28 Bolsheviks
Related articles	Shuanggui Neoauthoritarianism List of campaigns of the Chinese Communist Party Longest-serving members of the Politburo Standing Committee Emblem of the Chinese Communist Party
Category

• Articles with bare URLs for citations from May 2022
• History of Shanghai
• Factions of the Chinese Communist Party