Shanghai clique ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_clique#2012:_Xi_Jinping_takes_power ) was an informal circle of CCP officials whose rise to prominence was achieved through the patronage of Jiang Zeming.
In today's China this group recieved a name of ''Shanghai gang'' due to the corruption scandals around it and it's eventual demise after Hu Jintao came to power in 2002.
But what if Jiang managed to make somebody from the Shanghai clique his successor (Wu Bangguo maybe) and there is no Hu Jintao becoming the leader of China in 2002?
How much different from OTL Chinese foreign and internal policy would be without Hu? Would Xi still rise to power in 2012?
In today's China this group recieved a name of ''Shanghai gang'' due to the corruption scandals around it and it's eventual demise after Hu Jintao came to power in 2002.
But what if Jiang managed to make somebody from the Shanghai clique his successor (Wu Bangguo maybe) and there is no Hu Jintao becoming the leader of China in 2002?
How much different from OTL Chinese foreign and internal policy would be without Hu? Would Xi still rise to power in 2012?