Shanghai mayor Han Zheng to stay on

Shanghai mayor, Han Zheng (韩正) looks set to keep his job despite earlier suggestions that he would only be a seat-warmer after his predecessor Chen Liangyu (陈良宇) was exposed in a massive pension scandal and was sacked from his job. Apparently, rumours have been rife in Hong Kong media that Han would be replaced soon. Reuters (via the Straits Times) tells us more:

Beijing believes that Han is 'a good comrade' and 'can continue to do a good job in Shanghai', one of the sources paraphrased new Shanghai Party chief Yu Zhengsheng as telling a recent meeting of senior city officials.

'I know many of you learnt from Hong Kong media, rumours and newspapers that Comrade Han Zheng will leave Shanghai soon and even I was also informed of such rumours by my friends,' Mr Yu said.

'But now I can tell you and confirm with you that Han Zheng will not leave Shanghai and he will continue to work with me and us as Shanghai Mayor.'

Yu is also supposed to have told the editor-in-chief of the Shanghai Party mouthpiece, the Jiefang Daily (解放日报), that ”getting rid of Han would have given a poor impression of the city“. Other anonymous sources quoted by Reuters say that Han has been recommended to stay on to "stabilise the mood" and to "assure civil servants there would not be a witchhunt". Hmm...