Shanghai's top leader was fired yesterday for alleged corruption, the most powerful Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official to be axed in 11 years, in what observers called a major play by President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) to assert his authority.
Chen Liangyu (
Chen's sacking "demonstrates the party's determination to fight corruption," Xinhua said.
His departure also removes a potential challenge to Hu, who has been targeting political opponents through an anti-corruption crackdown in the runup to a key party congress next year.
That meeting will reapportion jobs among the political elite, with Hu, who heads the party, expected to install favored leaders for his second five-year term.
As a senior member of the party's so-called "Shanghai faction," the 59-year-old Chen was considered a protege of former president Jiang Zemin (
"Sacking Chen shows that Jiang has no power to protect his proteges and is in no position to affect the choice of new leaders," said Joseph Cheng (鄭宇碩), director of the Contemporary China Research Center at City University in Hong Kong.
The investigation into Chen centers on the misuse of at least one third of a 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) city pension fund for illicit investments in real estate and other infrastructure.
Chen is accused of aiding illegal businesses, shielding corrupt colleagues, and abusing his position to benefit family members, Xinhua said.
Chen's removal is also likely to boost Hu's popularity among the Chinese public, who have grown increasingly cynical and angry over pervasive official corruption.
"This is a very popular move," said Li Datong (
Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng (
The last Politburo member to be purged for corruption was former Beijing party secretary Chen Xitong (
The Shanghai Party chief job is a traditional stepping stone to higher office, as well as one of the most powerful local government jobs in China.
Chen Liangyu reportedly clashed with Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) over Beijing's efforts to cool economic growth, lobbying instead for ambitious infrastructure projects for China's wealthiest and most populous city.
Xinhua said the Politburo met on Sunday to discuss a preliminary report on the investigation into Chen Liangyu.
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