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Chen Liangyu: The Exception that Proves the Rule
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5. (C) Luo noted that the exception to the age rule had been Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Liangyu, who had not reached the mandatory retirement age for Politburo members when he was sacked. While Chen was much cleaner than Jia Qinglin, his main problem was that he had openly rebelled against the Party Secretary. Luo said that in China you can be as corrupt as you
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want and go your own way on local policy as long as you pay the proper lip service to the center. Chen, however, had openly insulted Hu on a number of occasions and had made no effort to
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hide his disdain for central policy and central control. Given Chen\\\'s age, he would have been virtually guaranteed a position on the PBSC and would have been one of the strongest contenders to replace Hu as Party Secretary--something Hu could not stomach. Luo joked: \\\"It\\\'s a party after all. Don\\\'t crash it or insult the host!\\\"
6. (C) On November 14 JPMorgan Greater China Vice Chairman Andrew Zhang said corruption is not an issue unless you fall out of political favor. PBSC members do not see it as their responsibility to do away with all corruption in the Party, rather to protect the right people and prosecute those who challenge them. Zhang said Chen Liangyu has not yet been sentenced because it has been difficult to find an appropriate sentence for him. Chen had not ended up with much in his own pockets from the Shanghai social security fund scandal. Chen\\\'s brother had been the biggest beneficiary and he had already committed suicide. Chen\\\'s hair has all turned grey and his teeth have all fallen out during his detention, Zhang said.