Zeng Qinghong
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.