Awaiting New Detail on Chinese Political Scandal
News of Police Cheif's Punishment in Scandal- 8/18/2012
July 10, 2012
Much of the mystery of the political corruption case involving the mayor of the largely populated Chongqing, a mayor's wife, the police chief, and a murdered British expatriate businessman has yet to be completely unravelled with the media. Government secrecy in China is likely to supress details concerning the progress in the case as it involves diplomatic discussions that occurred in February between Wang Liljun and US consulate members. The story began to make news months after the pronounced death of Neil Heywood, an ambitious, questionably misplaced British citizen living in Bejing with a Chinese wife and family. Wang Lijun, Chongqing's police chief of 20 years fled unnanounced in February to the US consulate in Chengdu, 200 kilometers from his home, likely in fear of reprecussions for the information that he knew about concerning abuses by the local government. The story in question involves episodes of torture used during a popular police crackdown of alledged corrupt business practices among some in the community. Additionally, Heywood's death has heightended the call for action. The campain of represive tactics known as "strike black" targeting suspected illicit activities, had gained a reputation of success among nationals and other officials of the People's Communist Party. Bo Xilia, the Chongqing mayor since 2007 and previous mayor of the nearby town of Darion, has been a rising member of the party in recent years. Visits by the current vice president Xi Jiping who is viewed as a likely successor to Hua Jintao for president offered laudatory acknowledgment in 2011 of the crackdown before these recent allegations of torture and innocent arrests.
Chongqing is a growing city with 31million residents and expanding local business opportunities, located in a fog laden town not far inland from Shanghai. It's mayor, Xilai, is considered a neo-Maoist with a tough love for getting agendas accomplished and was positioning himself for a spot on a panel of prominant communists overseeing national policy which comes at an important time before the handover in power takes place next year.
The total estimated arrests in the operation were 4800 in ten months according to a NY Times report. Physical violence amongst those accused and arrested is said to have occurred, as well as imprisonment for lawyers representing defendants in the cases. Several high level businessmen, including Gong Gangmo head of a succesful motorbike company, were said to be taken into custody for extended periods of time and subject to regular physical harm.
The investigation for the truth behind what happened gained worldly attention since Liljun's unannounced arrival February 10th at the American consulate in Chendu, southwest of Bejing. Upon arriving, he sought assylum which was denied by authorities as it's normally only granted under special circumstances and to that point hadn't been clearly determined. So for 36 hours while awaiting clearance to speak with American embassy officials, Liljun remained inside while local police officials had surronded the building and asked for his return to the Chinese authorities. Clearance was provided the next day for him to conduct discussions with authorities of the US Embassy where he provided seemingly important details of instances of abuse that had been ongoing and discussed the discovery of Heywood's body in a pricey hotel in Chongqing. Days before, Liljun, had confronted Xilai about the death which had intially been reported as caused by alcohol poisoning and corropurated with the reputation of him being a regular drinker. Later reports though found that he had been poisoned.
Relations between Mr. Heywood and Xilai aren't fully understood but years of contact and joint business efforts had taken place. The start of their relations likely occurred as Heywood, who being described as a reclusive, ambitious man intent on creating opportunities for himself in China fell in the graces of Mr. Xilai. Trying to find community with some of the influential business and government groups, Heywood pursued business deals that sought good networks through Xilai. Additionally, the British businessman used alumni support to help Mr. Xilai get acceptance for his son into a promenent boarding school in Brittain where Heywood had attended. It's implied that others including a wealthy real estate developer Xu Ming, a former intelligence officer Yu Jenshen and Ma Biao had projects that involved government contract work that were awarded for window manufacturing company in addition to others during the time of Mr. Xilai as mayor of Chongqing. What happened though in mid November prior to finding Heywood's body in the hotel lacks much detail. The men were said to have frequented on many occaisions this hotel as a secluded setting to hold private meetings on business projects. However, during the evening Gu Kailai, the wife of Xilai, was present in the lobby and expected to have been in the precense of the British businessman, pointing the investigation at her as a lead suspect.
Both she and Xilai were taken in for questioning and haven't been seen since. Those informed of the sitation elude to likely charges of murder if suspicions are correct and that could carry heavy punishment in the criminal judicial process for convicted state officials.
The official party offerred conciliatory remarks following the listing of Xilai and his wife as suspects and prompted his removal from office on March 15th. Determined to project a credible reputation of it's political operations, the People's Communist Party stated it's "continued authority and discipline for maintaining the standards of the law."