Liaoning governor now under a cloud, deputy relieved of duties
Peh Shing Huei 20 June 2009
Beijing: The anti-corruption campaign in China appears to have turned the spotlight on the highest-ranked official so far, with news yesterday that the governor of Liaoning province, Mr. Chen Zhenggao, could be under investigation.
His deputy, Mr. Liu Guoqiang, is believed to have been relieved of his duties, according to the Boxun News website and Hong Kong media reports.
Little is known about Mr. Chen’s investigation or alleged offences, but analysts say that the expansion of the crackdown, from southern Guangdong province to the north-eastern part of the country, could be a sign that the campaign could reach new heights.
‘There is a larger issue at stake here. If it has gone to the north-east, there has been a shift,’ said Beijing-based analyst Russell Leigh Moses. ‘People may be trying to ride on the coat-tails of the current campaign and take the opportunity to settle scores.’
Dr. Moses said it could be an attempt to discredit officials such as Vice-Premier Li Keqiang and Mr. Bo Xilai, the Chongqing party boss, both of whom had spent years building their political careers in Liaoning.
The latest revelations came after much attention had been focused on Guangdong in the past three months.
Mr. Xu Zongheng was sacked as mayor of the province’s boomtown of Shenzhen last week, becoming the biggest name among numerous people who have been brought down in the prosperous province.
Separately, the northern Tianjin port city has also had vice-ministerial official Pi Qiansheng removed earlier this week.
Their sackings were cheered by the official Xinhua news website yesterday. It lauded the central government for coming down hard on corrupt officials and nabbing four senior politicians in the last month alone.
The quartet are Mr. Xu, Mr. Pi, former senior legislator Zhu Zhigang and Mr. Zheng Shaodong, a former assistant public security minister.
‘It shows the determination of the central government in investigating the big and important cases,’ the Xinhua article quoted Professor Dai Yanjun of the Chinese Communist Party school as saying.
‘It will resolutely investigate and punish every corrupt official that is found out...the party will come down hard.’
In Liaoning, while there has been scant information on governor Chen, his deputy, Mr. Liu, is alleged to have used public funds for an expensive overseas holiday.
The scandal came to light after Mr. Liu’s wife was revealed as being one of nine Chinese nationals on board the Air France Flight 447 that vanished over the Atlantic Ocean on June 1.
Mr. Liu was also part of the tour group, but had not joined that leg after vacationing in Australia. The trip was apparently a ‘reward’ for him by Liaoning-based Benxi Iron and Steel Group. He has not appeared in public for more than a month.
Hong Kong media also reported that Mr. Liu He, vice-mayor of Shenyang city, the capital of Liaoning province, has been sacked for corruption.
Beijing-based observer Shawn Shieh calls the current campaign a selective ‘house cleaning’ process, which is usually based on political motives. ‘If it is a thorough house cleaning in China, a lot of people would be caught,’ he said.
In this climate of endemic corruption, Dr. Moses believes that fighting against it has become a ‘perfect platform’ to engage in political struggle for some party members.
‘There is a danger that if anti-corruption efforts are actually a full-fledged campaign to strike at political enemies, cadres will be more interested in self-protection than performing their assigned tasks,’ he said.
‘The central leadership needs to be careful that attempts to enforce moral discipline do not end up being one huge distraction to the more important matter of economic recovery from the international downturn.’
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China’s anti-graft drive soars to new heights
Liaoning governor now under a cloud, deputy relieved of duties
Peh Shing Huei
20 June 2009
Beijing: The anti-corruption campaign in China appears to have turned the spotlight on the highest-ranked official so far, with news yesterday that the governor of Liaoning province, Mr. Chen Zhenggao, could be under investigation.
His deputy, Mr. Liu Guoqiang, is believed to have been relieved of his duties, according to the Boxun News website and Hong Kong media reports.
Little is known about Mr. Chen’s investigation or alleged offences, but analysts say that the expansion of the crackdown, from southern Guangdong province to the north-eastern part of the country, could be a sign that the campaign could reach new heights.
‘There is a larger issue at stake here. If it has gone to the north-east, there has been a shift,’ said Beijing-based analyst Russell Leigh Moses. ‘People may be trying to ride on the coat-tails of the current campaign and take the opportunity to settle scores.’
Dr. Moses said it could be an attempt to discredit officials such as Vice-Premier Li Keqiang and Mr. Bo Xilai, the Chongqing party boss, both of whom had spent years building their political careers in Liaoning.
The latest revelations came after much attention had been focused on Guangdong in the past three months.
Mr. Xu Zongheng was sacked as mayor of the province’s boomtown of Shenzhen last week, becoming the biggest name among numerous people who have been brought down in the prosperous province.
Separately, the northern Tianjin port city has also had vice-ministerial official Pi Qiansheng removed earlier this week.
Their sackings were cheered by the official Xinhua news website yesterday. It lauded the central government for coming down hard on corrupt officials and nabbing four senior politicians in the last month alone.
The quartet are Mr. Xu, Mr. Pi, former senior legislator Zhu Zhigang and Mr. Zheng Shaodong, a former assistant public security minister.
‘It shows the determination of the central government in investigating the big and important cases,’ the Xinhua article quoted Professor Dai Yanjun of the Chinese Communist Party school as saying.
‘It will resolutely investigate and punish every corrupt official that is found out...the party will come down hard.’
In Liaoning, while there has been scant information on governor Chen, his deputy, Mr. Liu, is alleged to have used public funds for an expensive overseas holiday.
The scandal came to light after Mr. Liu’s wife was revealed as being one of nine Chinese nationals on board the Air France Flight 447 that vanished over the Atlantic Ocean on June 1.
Mr. Liu was also part of the tour group, but had not joined that leg after vacationing in Australia. The trip was apparently a ‘reward’ for him by Liaoning-based Benxi Iron and Steel Group. He has not appeared in public for more than a month.
Hong Kong media also reported that Mr. Liu He, vice-mayor of Shenyang city, the capital of Liaoning province, has been sacked for corruption.
Beijing-based observer Shawn Shieh calls the current campaign a selective ‘house cleaning’ process, which is usually based on political motives. ‘If it is a thorough house cleaning in China, a lot of people would be caught,’ he said.
In this climate of endemic corruption, Dr. Moses believes that fighting against it has become a ‘perfect platform’ to engage in political struggle for some party members.
‘There is a danger that if anti-corruption efforts are actually a full-fledged campaign to strike at political enemies, cadres will be more interested in self-protection than performing their assigned tasks,’ he said.
‘The central leadership needs to be careful that attempts to enforce moral discipline do not end up being one huge distraction to the more important matter of economic recovery from the international downturn.’
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