Han Zheng has become acting secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), according to a decision of the CPC Central Committee.

The appointment was announced on Monday after Chen Liangyu was suspended from the posts of Shanghai's party chief and member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, for his involvement in a social security fund scandal.

Han Zheng was elected as deputy party chief of Shanghai in May 2002 and became mayor of Shanghai in February 2003.

The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee convened a meeting on Sunday and discussed a preliminary investigation report on Chen's relevant problems, which was tabled by the the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is investigating Chen's case.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2006)