The clampdown on organised crime in Chongqing has earned praise from the country’s top law-enforcement official, according to state media.
The endorsement by Zhou Yongkang, a member of the top decision-making Politburo Standing Committee and the highest ranking official in charge of law enforcement, was reported yesterday by the Chongqing Daily.
His comments were conveyed by Zhang Xuan, the Communist Party deputy secretary of Chongqing, in a briefing with local business leaders and representatives outside the Communist Party.
In the mainland’s political culture, Zhou’s statement is a vote of confidence for Bo Xilai , the party chief of the municipality who ordered the crackdown in June.
Police operations have so far brought down at least 14 triad bosses and hundreds of gangsters, and exposed officials who had connections with illegal activities.
According to Zhang, Zhou said on September 25 that the “crackdown on and uprooting triad forces is a project that boasts popular support from the general public and enables them to lead safe and stable lives”.
“Under the leadership of Chongqing municipal party committee and government, the law-enforcement department has recently intensified its efforts [in the clampdown], and had remarkable success. This is good ... for the civilians,” Zhang quoted Zhou as saying on another occasion.
This is the first time support for Bo’s crackdown by a top-ranking official has been made public.
But in an intriguing move, Zhang also credited others for the success of the fight against crime syndicates, highlighting the efforts of Zhang Delin, He Guoqiang, Huang Zhendong and Wang Yang - all Chongqing party bosses before Bo took the reins in 2007.
She also pointed out that two major crackdowns were ordered in 2001 and 2006 respectively. The second was launched when Wang, now the party chief in Guangdong, was party chief in Chongqing.
In a political culture in which all public statements are made only after meticulous calculations, Zhang’s remarks aimed to play down overseas media reports that Bo’s crackdown on triads - which brought down many senior police officers during Wang’s term in Chongqing - was a move by Bo to increase his political capital for further promotion, analysts said.
Wang is perceived as a strong contender for a place on the Politburo Standing Committee in the 2012 power reshuffle.
He is widely considered to be a political rival to Bo, a prominent figure who comes from a powerful clique known as the “princelings” - the offspring of top leaders.
An article on China News Service’s website said the Chongqing government had publicised Zhou’s support to dismiss rumours and attempts by “some interest groups” to politicise the crackdown on triads.
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Top official endorses Chongqing crackdown
Choi Chi-yuk
28 October 2009
The clampdown on organised crime in Chongqing has earned praise from the country’s top law-enforcement official, according to state media.
The endorsement by Zhou Yongkang, a member of the top decision-making Politburo Standing Committee and the highest ranking official in charge of law enforcement, was reported yesterday by the Chongqing Daily.
His comments were conveyed by Zhang Xuan, the Communist Party deputy secretary of Chongqing, in a briefing with local business leaders and representatives outside the Communist Party.
In the mainland’s political culture, Zhou’s statement is a vote of confidence for Bo Xilai , the party chief of the municipality who ordered the crackdown in June.
Police operations have so far brought down at least 14 triad bosses and hundreds of gangsters, and exposed officials who had connections with illegal activities.
According to Zhang, Zhou said on September 25 that the “crackdown on and uprooting triad forces is a project that boasts popular support from the general public and enables them to lead safe and stable lives”.
“Under the leadership of Chongqing municipal party committee and government, the law-enforcement department has recently intensified its efforts [in the clampdown], and had remarkable success. This is good ... for the civilians,” Zhang quoted Zhou as saying on another occasion.
This is the first time support for Bo’s crackdown by a top-ranking official has been made public.
But in an intriguing move, Zhang also credited others for the success of the fight against crime syndicates, highlighting the efforts of Zhang Delin, He Guoqiang, Huang Zhendong and Wang Yang - all Chongqing party bosses before Bo took the reins in 2007.
She also pointed out that two major crackdowns were ordered in 2001 and 2006 respectively. The second was launched when Wang, now the party chief in Guangdong, was party chief in Chongqing.
In a political culture in which all public statements are made only after meticulous calculations, Zhang’s remarks aimed to play down overseas media reports that Bo’s crackdown on triads - which brought down many senior police officers during Wang’s term in Chongqing - was a move by Bo to increase his political capital for further promotion, analysts said.
Wang is perceived as a strong contender for a place on the Politburo Standing Committee in the 2012 power reshuffle.
He is widely considered to be a political rival to Bo, a prominent figure who comes from a powerful clique known as the “princelings” - the offspring of top leaders.
An article on China News Service’s website said the Chongqing government had publicised Zhou’s support to dismiss rumours and attempts by “some interest groups” to politicise the crackdown on triads.
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