Yu Zhengsheng

Yu Zhengsheng 俞正声
8th Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 March 2013
President	Xi Jinping
Deputy	Du Qinglin, others
Preceded by	Jia Qinglin
16th Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai
In office 27 October 2007 – 20 November 2012
Deputy	Han Zheng (Mayor)
Preceded by	Xi Jinping
Succeeded by	Han Zheng
Personal details
Born	April 1945 Shaoxing, Zhejiang
Political party	Communist Party of China
Spouse(s)	Zhang Zhikai
Alma mater	Harbin Military Engineering Institute

Yu Zhengsheng (Chinese: 俞正声; born April 1945) is a Chinese politician and one of the top leaders of the Communist Party of China. He is the Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a largely ceremonial political advisory body, and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, China's de facto highest ruling body, since November 2012.

Prior to coming to prominence nationally, Yu formerly served as the Communist Party Secretary of Hubei Province, and Party Secretary of Shanghai, one of China's most important regional offices. Yu became a member of the Politburo in November 2002.

Early life

Yu Zhengsheng, a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang, graduated from Harbin's Military Engineering Institute specializing in the design of automated missiles. He is the son of Yu Qiwei, better known by the name Huang Jing, a Communist politician, and Fan Jin, a frontline journalist. In December 1968 he was sent to work in Zhangjiakou, Hebei. Until the mid-1980s his career concentration was in electronic engineering.

Brother's defection

His brother, Yu Qiangsheng, defected to the United States in 1985.^[1] After defecting, Qiangsheng told the U.S. government that Larry Wu-Tai Chin, a retired CIA analyst, was actually a spy for the Chinese government. According to rumors reported by The Times of London, Yu Qiangsheng was assassinated by Chinese secret agents in Latin America after his defection and placement in witness protection.^[2]

Relations with Deng Xiaoping

Yu was friends with former leader Deng Xiaoping and his family. After Deng left politics, Yu served as his family's proxy within the Chinese government.

“Yu Zhengsheng is the Deng family's representative in politics," said one person close to the Deng family.^[1]

That relationship was tested in the late eighties, when Deng began a crackdown on corruption. Deng's son, Deng Pufang, had a business called Kang Hua. That company gave money to a welfare fund which Deng Pufang controlled. In addition, the company used tax exemptions to make the donation. Yu was really close to Deng Pufang.

“Yu Zhengsheng had very close personal relations with Deng Pufang," said one observer.^[1]

Yu handled the situation. He closed Kang Hua but he prevented the scandal from causing the Deng family too much misery.^[1]

Political career

Yu was mayor of Qingdao and Yantai in his early political career. He lost his election to the Central Committee in 1992, subsequently being sent to become Party chief in Qingdao. Yu served as Deputy Minister of Construction when he was recalled back to Beijing in 1997, and a year later promoted to the Minister position. He remained in that position in Zhu Rongji's cabinet from 1998 to 2001. He became a member of the powerful Politburo of the Communist Party of China in November 2002. Following the 17th Party Congress, Yu became the party chief in Shanghai, replacing Xi Jinping.

Yu is married to Zhang Zhikai (Chinese: 张志凯; pinyin: Zhāng Zhìkǎi), the daughter of Zhang Zhenhuan.

References

External links

• (Chinese) Biography of Yu Zhengsheng at xinhuanet.com

Members of the 18th Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China 1. Xi Jinping 2. Li Keqiang 3. Zhang Dejiang 4. Yu Zhengsheng 5. Liu Yunshan 6. Wang Qishan 7. Zhang Gaoli