Tsinghua clique

The term Tsinghua clique refers to a group of Socialist Chinese politicians that have graduated or have taught at Tsinghua University (Chinese: 清华大学; pinyin: Qīnghuá Dàxué). They are members of the fourth generation of Chinese leadership, and are purported to hold powerful reformist ideas (a number have studied in the United States following graduation from Tsinghua, and some are said to be influenced by the reform ideals of Hu Yaobang). Just like their predecessors, they attach great importance to socialism with Chinese characteristics. Their ascendance to power is likely to have begun in 2008 at the 17th National Congress of the CPC.

Tsinghua graduates who have political prominence are disproportionately greater in number than graduates of other famous universities. Among the nine standing committees at the Politburo, there are four Tsinghua graduates; among the 24 Politburo committee members, there are five; and of all the "leaders of the party and the country", there are 10.

Key figures are reported to include now:

• Xi Jinping:
• Hu Jintao:
• Zhu Rongji:
• Wu Bangguo, although he is generally considered more loyal to Jiang Zemin's Shanghai clique;
• Lin Wenyi, chairman of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League;
• Wang Qishan:
• Liu Yandong:
• Chen Xi:
• Li Xi:
• Hu Heping:
• Chen Jining:
• Zhang Guoqing:

Retired or deceased:

• Zhang Dongsun:
• Zhang Junmai:
• Luo Longji:
• Pan Guangdan:
• Fei Xiaotong:
• Qian Weichang:
• Peng Peiyun:
• Kang Shien:
• Wu Guanzheng:
• Hu Qili:
• Huang Ju:
• Yao Yilin:
• Song Ping:
• Li Ximing:
• Wang Hanbin:
• Zhou Guangzhao:
• Zheng Tianxiang:

The Tsinghua clique also referred to a group of Nationalist Chinese politicians who held high power in the Republic of China government and fled to Taiwan with the government during the Chinese Civil War. All of them are deceased:

• Yeh Kung-chao:
• Yu Guohua:
• Yen Zhenxing:
• Mei Yiqi:
• Luo Jialun:
• Hu Shih:
• Sun Li-jen.