Recently, there have been significant developments in Shanghai, with prominent figures facing reshuffles and cleansings in various sectors. The son of the late former leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Jiang Zemin, Jiang Mianheng, saw his position at the Shanghai University of Science and Technology reduced from president to the director of the school’s administrative committee. Simultaneously, there has been a wave of intensive cleansing in the political circles of Shanghai.
On June 5th, the official website of Shanghai University of Science and Technology announced that Jiang Mianheng was appointed as the director of the school’s administrative committee with the approval of the Shanghai municipal government and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Fang Donglai was assigned as the new president of Shanghai University of Science and Technology.
The university’s website also published a letter from Jiang Mianheng addressed to the faculty and students, where he stated that he no longer serves as the president because he has completed two terms and jokingly mentioned his inclusion in the “post-70s (those over 70 years old)” group.
Shanghai University of Science and Technology was established on September 30, 2013, jointly constructed by the Shanghai municipal government and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. At the time of its establishment, Jiang Mianheng was serving as the Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the director of the Shanghai branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He played a pivotal role in founding the university and served as its inaugural president, essentially making it his independent kingdom.
Commenting on these changes, political analyst Tang Jingyuan suggested that Jiang Mianheng’s reassignment could be seen more as a deprivation of duties rather than a voluntary step down. He noted that even the honorary title of a “president” was not bestowed upon Jiang Mianheng, which he sees as a humiliation from the current party leadership.
In the past few days, there has been a series of investigations and removals of officials with ties to the Jiang family in Shanghai. Reports from official Chinese media indicated that Li Chaokun, former chairman of China Shipbuilding Group Finance Co. Ltd., was under investigation on June 4th. On June 1st, Lin Shoufu, former party committee member and deputy general manager of the ground service department of China Eastern Airlines Co., Ltd., was also reported to be under investigation. Both companies are based in Shanghai.
Additionally, senior figures like Bao Bingzhang, former member of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Zhou Longhua, former director of the United Front Work Department of Fengxian District, Shanghai, and Bai Tinghui, former party secretary of the Shanghai State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, have been under investigation.
The recent crackdown has not spared other officials in Shanghai either. According to the website of the Shanghai Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission, 15 officials have been taken down within a span of 15 days from May 20 to June 4.
Jiang Zemin, the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party, passed away in Shanghai on November 30, 2022. With his long-time influence and presence in Shanghai, the local political landscape has been known to be filled with affiliates of the Jiang faction.
Among the officials targeted, Bai Tinghui, the former party secretary of the Shanghai State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, holds the highest official position. Analysts like Li Yanming have previously suggested that Bai’s removal is linked to corruption within the Shanghai transportation and urban development system, a domain controlled by Jiang Miankang, the second son of Jiang Zemin.
The unfolding events have also touched the sports sector, with Gou Zhongwen, former director of the national sports administration and chairman of the Olympic Committee, being investigated. Gou’s downfall represents the highest-ranking official to be caught in the anti-corruption storm within the Chinese sports system. It’s worth noting that Gou, despite his prominence in the sports realm, lacks a background in sports, having originally been a technical official before transitioning into political roles.
The upcoming Third Plenum of the Twentieth Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, scheduled for July this year, has been delayed by over half a year due to what insiders refer to as a significant political dilemma facing the current party leadership.
Insiders have revealed that the dilemma revolves around whether to openly confront and criticize the capitalist restoration path pursued under Jiang Zemin’s leadership during the Third Plenum and to affirm Xi Jinping’s role in saving the Party, the state, and the military.
Two opposing views have emerged within top levels of the Chinese Communist Party. One faction believes in the necessity of openly denouncing Jiang Zemin’s corrupt practices and its impact on the Party before affirming Xi’s authority, while the other faction suggests prioritizing military action to resolve the Taiwan issue before dealing with internal party struggles.
Ultimately, it appears that Xi Jinping has sided with the majority, allowing the Third Plenum to proceed.