Shanghai party chief pledges allegiance to Beijing

SHANGHAI, May 28 (Reuters) Shanghai's new Communist Party boss pledged allegiance to Beijing today, saying he and his colleagues would strictly enforce the central government's policies following last year's corruption scandal.

Xi Jinping was appointed Shanghai's party secretary in March and formally elected at a local party congress in the commercial hub which ended today.

He replaces Chen Liangyu who was sacked last September amid an official probe into a pension fund scandal that implicated over a dozen senior city officials and businessmen.

''We will keep strictly in line with the central committee of the Party and conscientiously uphold its authoritativeness,'' Xi told a media briefing.

''We must ensure the central government's policies and orders are smoothly enforced in Shanghai,'' he said, adding the new leadership would strive to boost the city's economic growth and fight corruption.

Reporters were not allowed to ask questions.

China's Communists are gearing up for the 17th Party Congress later this year, expected to be a barometer of Hu's grip on power.

Han Zheng was re-elected a member of the Shanghai standing committee. He remains a deputy party secretary of Shanghai and the mayor. Han had been Shanghai's acting party secretary since Chen Liangyu was removed.

Wu Zhiming, nephew of retired President Jiang Zemin, keeps his seat on the standing committee. He continues to be the city's top policeman.

REUTERS GL KP1831