Some fallout from the war on corruption

[Randy W]

When is first class not first class?

 

 

The Financial Times summed it up best:

Beijing’s crusade against corruption claimed a linguistic victory on Tuesday when state-owned China Southern Airlines said it would change the name of its first-class cabin to business class, an apparent ploy to win back government officials who are banned from travelling first class in the new Chinese age of austerity.

. . .

 

Last year more than 50 Chinese hotels asked to have their five-star ratings downgraded , as they attempted to regain business from chastened Communist party officials.

 

 

[DocMartin817]

great idea! Maybe now they can change the name of economy to economy plus so we feel like we have more space.

[Randy W]

More downgrading

 

 

Gang of thieves takes millions of RMB from corrupt officials' homes

 

Before breaking in, the robbers painstakingly researched the lives of their targets. Not just to determine their routines and assets, but to discover rather that they were corrupt, since they surmised that dirty officials would be somewhat hesitant to report the theft of their tons of cash.

 

. . .

 

Zhao denied having a million yuan stolen from his house by the gang, saying it was more like a couple thousand yuan. The police officers, under pressure from Zhao, marked it down as 6,040 RMB.

 

Zhao and the police officers are under investigation. Want China Times also reported that some police officers have taken some of the stolen, dirty money, since somebody might as well use it.

 

[Randy W]

. . . and photography takes a hit

 

from the WSJ

 

Exposed: Corrupt Chinese Officials Lured by Love of Expensive Camera Gear

In one incident, an unnamed “important person” rode a police helicopter on a photography trip in central Henan province, hoping to take snaps of swans in the Yellow River during winter, a photography hobbyist told Xinhua. But the trip was ruined, the hobbyist recalled, as noise from the helicopter drove all the swans away.

 

 

Seems like the Shanghaiist got their story from the WSJ - at least they did provide a link.

 

Corrupt officials exposed through costly photography hobby

 

According to Xinhua, Qin would often take photography trips on the weekends bringing along expensive photographic equipment supplied by private businessmen. The value of the equipment is reported to be several million yuan and Qin is now under investigation for, "serious violations of party discipline and the law."

 

As investigators closed in, Qin began returning or just ditching the gear as fast as he could. His current whereabouts are unknown, according to the Wall Street Journal, but hopefully it's somewhere photogenic and he managed to keep at least a point-and-shoot on him.

 

Edited September 25, 2014 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

from CCTV

 

China urges corrupt officials abroad to return before Dec. 1

Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of cross-border cooperation in the extradition of China’s fugitives wanted for corruption, seven times this month.

 

This comes ahead of a December 1st deadline set for these corrupt officials to return to the country on their own accord. Earlier in July, the country launched its "Fox Hunt 2014" operation targeting corrupt officials and suspects who fled. Since then, Chinese police have captured 329 suspects, including those who have returned to confess their crimes. Among the captured, twenty-one had been at large for more than a decade, and nearly one-third were hiding in developed countries such as the US and Canada.

 

China has established a legal network for hunting down fugitives abroad to recover illicit assets since negotiations with other countries on mutual legal assistance and extradition treaties began in the 1980s.

 

This, of course, affects bilateral agreements between countries, such as China cooperating with the IRS.

[ghostpayroll]

great idea! Maybe now they can change the name of economy to economy plus so we feel like we have more space.

hahaha

[ghostpayroll]

Personally I hope they fry each and every single one of these crooks.

 

One guy recently in Hebei got caught with 38 pounds of Gold and about 100 million in cash. Also in his possession were 60 housing ownership documents.

 

These are happy stories. For once I'd like to see more countries return these thieves back to where they belong. A jail in Beijing where they can work in some factory that has 'less' than ideal air conditions.

 

-

[Randy W]

A big crook fried. In Xinhua -

 

Zhou Yongkang arrested, expelled from CPC

 

 

The investigation found that Zhou seriously violated the Party's political, organizational and confidentiality discipline. He took advantage of his posts to seek profits for others and accepted huge bribes personally and through his family, the statement said.

 

He abused his power to help relatives, mistresses and friends make huge profits from operating businesses, resulting in serious losses of state-owned assets.

 

Zhou leaked the Party's and country's secrets. He seriously violated self-disciplinary regulations and accepted a large amount of money and properties personally and through his family.

 

Zhou committed adultery with a number of women and traded his power for sex and money, it said, adding that other clues of suspected crimes by Zhou were also found during the investigation.

 

What Zhou did completely deviated from the Party's nature and mission, and seriously violated Party discipline. His behaviors badly undermined the reputation of the Party, significantly damaged the cause of the Party and the people, and have yielded serious consequences, the statement said.

 

 

 

In the Washington Post

 

China’s Communist leaders expel former security czar over corruption allegations

 

The probe into the once-powerful Zhou Yongkang has sent tremors through China’s political world.

 

It sets the stage for a trial that has been anticipated for more than two years and required negotiations among competing factions within the party.

 

Top leaders handed his case over to the courts and announced a litany of accusations through state-run media. Among the allegations: accepting huge bribes, shifting money to mistresses and relatives, abusing his office for special interests and disclosing state secrets.

 

If found guilty — as party officials usually are in such cases — Zhou would be China’s highest-ranking party leader to be taken down in more than two decades.

 

 

As to whether he's guilty or innocent - it just wouldn't be good to be putting innocent people through all that, now would it?

[Doug]

Is there an agency, or something like a hot-line to call in and report someone and a situation? I have one, which I have not written about here yet. It was so blatant I was very surprised. It is not in my wife's company, but higher up and a government paid man. I would like to get him.

 

Also, my wife's company was supposed to stop all the company paid dinners and lunches that went on constantly, where there is all the drinking/toasting and smoking like they do in all business. They get a dif kind of receipt and just keep on eating out, with a vengeance.

[Randy W]

And another big guy - in the Global Times

 

Ling's fall sends strong signal to the public

Ling's fall sends a strong signal to the public that the anti-graft endeavor will be a long-running undertaking. No matter how powerful or high-ranking a government official is, there is no chance they will find immunity from the punishment they deserve. This line of thinking has been embedded in the minds of the public since former security chief Zhou Yongkang was snared this year.

China's new leaders are exerting unprecedented efforts to crack down on corruption. The central government has decided to face its problems directly. Such an attitude gives hope and confidence to Chinese society.

That "all are equal before the law" has been a tenet among the Chinese public for decades, but it was not until recently that it became a faith. Ling counted among the most powerful in elite government circles, but the discipline of the Party and the law won't afford him any leniency for his violations.

His authority and position cannot serve as a talisman. Every "tiger" that is exposed during the process of advancing the rule of law will further consolidate the endeavor.