Global Voices » Oiwan Lam

China: The Political Drama of Wang Lijun's “Stress Leave”

Oiwan Lam — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:14:06 +0000

Over the past few days, Chinese netizens have been following the story of former Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun's secretive meeting at the U.S. Consulate closely. Many believe that Wang tried to seek asylum in the U.S. in order to protect himself from becoming the scapegoat of Chongqing Chinese Communist Party Secretary Bo Xilai's power struggle in Beijing.

Wang Lijun has been portrayed as a role model of the Chinese police since 2000 after his successful crackdown on a triad network in Liaoning province in 1999. In June 2008, the anti-triad hero was appointed as the head of police bureau in Chongqing city. Working side-by-side with Bo Xilai, he arrested a large number of former government officials in Chongqing on charges of corruption, including former head of the Justice Bureau Wen Qiang and former deputy chief of the Police Bureau Pang Changjian. In May 2011, Wang was elected as deputy mayor of Chongqing.

A dramatic turn took place on February 2, 2012, when the Information Office of Chongqing municipality posted a message via Weibo stating that [zh]:

据悉，近日市委决定，王立军同志不再兼任市公安局局长、党委书记，以副市长身份分管联系经济领域工作。

We are told that the City Committee recently has decided that Wang Lijun will no longer serve as head of the Police Bureau or Secretary of the Chongqing Party Committee. He will remain in charge of economic affairs as deputy mayor.

While Wang still attended a public function in February 6 2012, two days later on February 8, the information office announced [zh] in Sina Weibo again:

据悉，王立军副市长因长期超负荷工作，精神高度紧张，身体严重不适，经同意，现正在接受休假式的治疗。

We are told that deputy mayor Wang Lijun suffers from hypertension due to work pressure. He is very ill and it was agreed that he is to receive “vacation style treatment”.

On the same day, the U.S. State Department confirmed that Wang had had a meeting at the consulate in Chengdu, from which he departed “of his own volition”.

Political analysts with mainstream media [zh] believe that the incident reflects the internal struggle within the Chinese Communist Party and that President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have joined hands to sideline Bo Xilai before they step down in the upcoming 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The word in Chongqing, it seems, is that Wang's power play was successful and he is now in the custody of Party Central. Meanwhile on Twitter, netizens have their own speculation about what took place.

Bo Xilai left in the lurch: Corruption fighter Wang hops away, leaving Chongqing mayor and deputy Party Secretary Huang Qifan ("red songs") behind; Image by Rebel Pepper.

Tufuwugan, for one, believes [zh] that Wang Lijun has been made Bo Xilai's scapegoat:

估计有人要搞薄都督，想阻止他进常委分赃，先卸了都督的左右膀，都督当然为了自保要牺牲王立军，在文革时连自己老爹都能把他肋骨踹断几根的人，牺牲王立军算什么，王立军估计看到处境不行，也知道都督会把他出卖，所以为了自保，做出跑到美使馆的事，精彩大戏正在上演。

I think someone wants to stop Bo from entering the Politburo standing committee and they do this by taking away his arms. Bo will sacrifice Wang Lijun to protect himself. During the cultural revolution, he even broke a few ribs of his dad's, so betraying Wang Lijun is nothing. Wang Lijun probably sensed that Bo would betray him, which is why he ran into the U.S. Consulate. This is such an exciting opera.

Alan Huang feels that Wang has been too naive in his political career:

蒙古族人王立军从小练得一身好武术，如果领导内蒙古独立，估计能成民族英雄，丫非走蒙奸的道路，最终身败名裂。在这个拼爹的年代，出生于铁路工人家庭的王立军，竟然幻想和太子党党魁薄熙来鱼死网破。连店是谁开的还没搞清楚就敢来砸场子，相当naïve啊。

Mongolian Wang Lijun learned martial arts since he was very young. He could have led the independence movement of Inner Mongolia and become a national hero. But, he betrayed his people and lives in shame. In a society where people's status is defined by that of their fathers, there is no way that a railway worker's son can fight against the head of the princelings, Bo Xilai. He has no idea who is in control, so naive.

Qiumazha on the other hand feels [zh] that Wang has made a good move:

我忽然觉得，王立军不傻。闯美领馆避难只是寻求轰动效应，以防被蒸发。另外，他声称他已经将内幕证据等放在了安全的地方，杀他就会自动解密。谁知道这个安全的地方就不是美领馆呢？这个老侦查出身的人，应该比好莱坞谍战片编辑更有想象力。嘲笑王立军闯关之举恐怕是不智的。

Suddenly I feel that Wang Lijun is not stupid at all. He ran into the U.S. consulate in order to draw public attention, so that he wouldn't be vaporized. In addition, he claims that he has all the evidence [on Bo] hidden in a safe place. In the case that he's killed, the secrets will be revealed. That safe place might be the U.S. consulate. He has enough investigation experience that he should be more imaginative than any Hollywood director. Those laughing at Wang Lijun are too ignorant.

Since Wang Lijun has been very harsh in cracking down on political activists, dissidents in Twitter are happy to see him seeking help from the “enemy forces”.

Gongmingyaoyao mocks [zh] Wang:

王立军教育我们，不管怎么当五毛，关键时刻还是美国人才是亲爹啊

Wang Lijun teaches us that all 50 cents know that the Americans are their daddy in critical moments like this….

Wuyuesanren echoes [zh] Gongmingyaoyao's comment on Sina Weibo:

早就说咱们官员最信任的政府是美国政府，中美关系那不是一般的好，好多人还不信。王立军跑美领馆这事儿再次确证了这种说法吧？我们这帮你们嘴里的美分带路党最多是看好美国的制度，认为值得我们学习，他们才是真把身家性命押在美国那边。五毛们，你们醒醒吧。

I always said that our officials trust the U.S. government more than any other. People just don't believe that Sino-U.S. relations are that good. Now, Wang's move has proven it again, right? For us, those who are labelled as the US dollar gang [as opposed to the 50 cent party], we appreciate the U.S system and want to learn from it. But they [the officials] keep their family and wealth in the U.S. Please wake up, 50 cents!

Shang Guangluan reports [zh] on what he heard from the street:

晕啊，刚刚在小店吃面，听见几个民工都在谈王立军的事，这事儿成了全民娱乐了。但他们集体得出的结论是：王立军肯定被以叛国罪枪毙。这个……

My god… just now I had noodles in a small shop, a number of rural workers were talking about Wang Lijun. The incident has become people's entertainment. Their conclusion is: Wang Lijun will be shot to death for treason…

Political dissident Ye du points out [zh] that:

【网络热点观察】全民网络热炒王立军。王捕头事件深刻反映了在一个互害型社会里，即使是体制中人，也没有一个人是安全的。今天加害于人的，明天也随时因为站队、利益等问题而被害。这就是为什么我们说一个民主社会的来临才是全体公民福泽的原因，这样才可避免互相恐惧、互相伤害。

[Observation online] All people are talking about Wang Lijun online. The incident shows that in a society where everyone hurts everyone else, even though you are from the Establishment, there is no safety. Today you hurt someone, tomorrow you will be hurt either because of the clan you belong to or over someone's interests. That's why we say democracy is the way out of such mutually inflicted fear and harm.

Writer Ye Kuangzheng believes [zh] that Wang Lijun's move signifies a turn in China history:

王立军进入美国使领馆，已被证实。这是1949年以来，高层官员第一次做出这种令人震惊的举动。林彪那次属出走未遂。由此可想象，王所置身的政治环境，没有巨大恐惧，极难迈出这一步。王立军的这一步，王立军的未来，会对中国未来的政治生态和官员心理有重大影响。王立军引发的政坛地震，也只是刚刚开始

It has been proven that Wang Lijun did enter the U.S consulate. This is the first time since 1949 that such a high-ranking government official has made such a shocking move. Lin Biao's escape, that failed. The fear that Wang is was confronting must have been enormous, or else he wouldn't have made such a move. Wang Lijun's actions and his future will have significant influence on China's future political ecology and the psychological state of government officials. This political earthquake has only just begun.

China: Half of the journalists imprisoned are Tibetan or Uyghur

Oiwan Lam — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:36:58 +0000

The Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) reports that more than half of the 27 journalists imprisoned in China are ethnic Tibetan or Uyghur.

China: Another Grassroots Uprising in the North

Oiwan Lam — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:27:21 +0000

Follow Wukan Uprising, Panhe Village in Zhejiang province is also revolting against local government and developer who are colluded to grab away villagers' land. David Wertime from Tea Leaf Nation has the story.

Hong Kong, China: Netizens Mock the University of Hong Kong

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:18:06 +0000

The University of Hong Kong has finished a review report on the arrangement of China's Vice Premier Li Keqiang's visit to the university last year for its centennial celebration, or the so-called Hong Kong 818 incident.

During the ceremony, the campus was sealed off by heavy police forces stationed among students and alumni present, and the scene of a student brutally held down by a group of police officers when he tried to join other protesters quickly stirred up public outrage.

The newly-released report now reveals that the ceremony was scheduled to coincide with the vice premier's visit, proving true much public speculation that the ceremony was carefully designed as a political “show” aimed at pleasing the Beijing government.

The comic below is a recreation of the university's logo which has been widely circulated on Facebook this week. Replacing the symbol of the dragon-lion with the flag of China and the school motto, “Sapientia Et Virtus”, with “loyalty to the Party and to the State - the First People's University of Hong Kong City, Guangdong province” (忠黨愛國﹣廣東省香港市第一人民大學), the comic is a mocking reference to the downgrading of a what is currently an international university to that of a third-grade (city level) university in China. (I have shared the picture in my own Facebook Wall).

A satirical comic widely circulated online about the Hong Kong 818 incident

China, North Korea: Spreading Meth Across the Border

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:56:22 +0000

Jende Huang from Sino-NK has written an investigative report on the spreading of meth across the China and North Korea border.

Hong Kong: Oldest English Newspaper Turning Red?

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:55:25 +0000

Asia Sentinel has a news story about the latest development of the oldest English newspaper, South China Morning Post, in Hong Kong. The writer believes that the appointment of the newspaper's new Chief editor, former China's Daily's reporter and a CPPCC member Wang Xiangwei is part of the trend of the China Communist Party's move in media takeovers in Hong Kong.

China: New Registrations for Sina Weibo have Fallen

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:39:00 +0000

Bishop from Digicha follows up Sina Weibo's new user registration growth after the implementation of real name registration and the blogger provides three possible explanation on the falling trend.

China: Cats found in RMB100 Banknote

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:32:49 +0000

Jacky Huang from ChinaHush translated a local story from Beijing News about the new discovery by netizen of the printing of a “worshipping cats” totem on the RMB100 Banknote. The cats' image is very comical, but experts said it was from Ancient China's the Warring States period (5th-3rd cent. BCE).

China needs less division, more action

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:20:24 +0000

China media project has translated journalism professor Zhan Jiang's article on the division between the “rightists” and the “leftists” in addressing the current political situation in China.

China:“Thankfulness Education” for Tibetans

Oiwan Lam — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:16:45 +0000

Weibo post about the Chinese Communist party's “Thankfulness Education” for Tibetans by a Chinese historian, Zhang Hongjie. (via China Media Project)

China: A Death Sentence to Hide Government Corruption?

Oiwan Lam — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:35:04 +0000

Wu Ying, named China's sixth richest woman in 2006, lost an appeal against her death sentence at the Zhejiang Higher People's Court on January 18, 2012. Many citizens have pleaded online for Wu's life believing the death sentence was meant to silence her from exposing corruption by government officials who may have loaned her embezzled public funds.

Suspicions grew stronger when Dong Yang City government submitted a joint letter to the courts recommending she be executed.

The 30-year old was first arrested in March 2007, charged with “illegal fundraising” of RMB 770 million (approximately USD 122 million). In December 18, 2009, the charge was changed to “financial fraud”, and she was sentenced to death by the Jinhua Intermediate People's Court. In Wu's first trial, there was no lawyer to represent her, and all trials including the appeal took place behind closed doors.

Human rights lawyer, Teng Biao, has written a very long article [zh] explaining some of the details known about Wu Ying's court case.

Wu Ying stood trial for financial fraud and was sentenced to death. Screen captured photo from NTDTV

A loan shark list

Wu started a beauty parlor business in Dong Yang city at the age of 22 in 2003. Her business then expanded to entertainment business and property investments. As is common for private entrepreneurs in China, she had difficulty obtaining loans from banks and had to raise funds by other means. In December 2006, her business had cash flow problems and she failed to pay back a debt to loan sharks. She was kidnapped, robbed and received death threats soon after she was released. Local police officers did not investigate her case. Instead, several months later, she was arrested.

During Wu's detention, she exposed a list of government officials who had illegally lent money to her. Three of them received long jail sentences. Later, local newspapers revealed [zh] that Wu had shared a list of 137 names of which 103 had lent her more than RMB 500,000. The speculation is that many local government officials may have been implicated. Officials who receive bribes, or obtain funds by other illegal means, are suspected of lending money to private businesses at high interest rates.

Inevitable illegal fundraising

Teng Biao points out [zh] that under the current financial system it is inevitable for the private business sector not to commit “illegal fundraising”; in other words, most of the successful private businesses in China have probably committed Wu Ying's “crime”:

民营企业却难以得到银行的支持，只能靠处于灰色地带的民间借贷。数据表明，银行的短期贷款中，民营企业只占不到20%。据全国工商联一项调查，有90%以上的民营中小企业表示，无法从银行获得贷款。全国民营企业和家族企业在过去三年中有近62.3%通过民间借贷的形式进行融资。

Without support from the banks, private businesses have to borrow money from the market. According to statistics, only 20% of short term bank loans go to private businesses. A bank survey shows that more than 90% SMEs [Small and Medium-sized Enterprises] said they had failed to obtain loans from banks. More than 62.3% of family businesses obtain their capital from the market.

An unjust system

Blogger Li Ming points out [zh], that if Wu must die, many more would follow:

吴英该杀，那么温州诸多“跑路老板”也该杀，借高利贷一掷千万金的“太太豪赌团”，以及所有把集资用于铺张挥霍的老板，都该抓来杀掉。有的富豪集资营运失败，享受救助待遇，而同属一类的吴英或遭遇杀头待遇，此大不公，此即法之大恶大暴。

If Wu must be killed, the runaway bosses in Wenzhou must be killed too. Those gamblers who borrow money from loan sharks, those bosses who show off their wealth with corporate money must be killed too. Now we have a group of business losers enjoying the government's bailout, while Wu Ying in a similar condition has been sentenced to death. This is so unjust. The law is evil.

Yao Shujie, an overseas scholar, observed more injustice in mainland Chinese society [zh]:

吴英只是对11人造成损失，而上市公司的老总们，却是给上亿无辜的股民造成巨大的损失。本质上，吴英和这些上市公司的老总，对人们造成的伤害，并没有任何差别。所不同的，吴英被判死刑，上市公司老总们，却照样拿数千万的年薪，照样升官。

还有，像许宗衡和刘志军这样的贪官，涉案金额高达百亿人民币，给国家和人民带来的灾难和对社会所产生的不良影响，比吴英的破坏力高出千百倍，却没有被判死。

12年前，赖昌星高达700亿元的惊天大案，因为逃到加拿大躲了11年，去年引渡回国时，却拿到了一块外国人给的免死金牌。

同样是一个国家，有道是，判死吴英，笑死无数贪官和赖昌星。

Wu Ying has only inflicted damage on 11 people. In the case of the listed companies, their failure would bring harm to millions of people. There is no different between Wu Ying and the CEOs of the listed companies but Wu has been sentenced to death, while all these CEOs are taking millions of paychecks and bonuses, and have a bright future waiting for them.

Corrupt officials such as Xu Zhonghang and Liu Zhijun, their cases involved tens of billions of RMB and the harm they caused is a thousand times more serious than Wu's. They were not sentenced to death.

Twelve years ago, Lai Changxing committed a RMB 70 billion corruption scandal. Since he managed to escape to Canada for 11 years, he received amnesty from the death sentence upon his return.

In one and the same country, people have such different fates. No wonder some think Wu's death sentence is a [source of] great entertainment to corrupt officials and Lai Changxing.

Is the death sentence really about Wu Ying's economic activities? Independent writer, Ye Kuangzheng, from Beijing does not think so [zh]:

地方官员联名要判吴英死刑，不仅为了灭囗，也是杀鸡儆猴，看谁进去了，还敢乱咬官员！吴英案仍有数亿资金未追回，匆忙杀了吴英，钱如何追回？难说背后没有潜藏的利益链。与吴英案有关的官员，为何至今未判？即便吴英罪大恶极，也应等资金和案情水落石出了，再做定夺不迟。

The government officials' joint letter demanding Wu Ying's death is not just to silence her but to threaten others. Who else dares to expose the corruption of government officials during their detention? There are millions of dollars missing from Wu's bank accounts - who has taken the money? Once Wu is dead, who else can give us a clue? Are there interlocking interests behind all this? How come some of the government officials involved in the case are still uncharged? Even if Wu did deserve such a harsh penalty, we should still wait until the full truth is revealed before seeing her die.

China: A review of the new high-speed rail between Shenzhen and Guangzhou

Oiwan Lam — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:39:57 +0000

Cam from Nanfang writes a review on the newly built high-speed rail service between Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The two train stations locate at the out skirt of the cities but the train ride takesless than 35 minutes.

China: The legacy of Wukan

Oiwan Lam — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:16:12 +0000

David Bandurski from China Media Project blogs about the discussion among Chinese public intellectuals on the political implications of Wukan struggle against land acquisition in Guangdong.

China: US60,000 Per Month Postpartum Recovery Service

Oiwan Lam — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:56:00 +0000

Jing Gao from Ministry of Tofu translated a local report and netizen reactions on Shanghai's postpartum recovery service which costs around US60,000 per month.

China: Girl and Boyfriend Rental for Chinese Lunar New Year

Oiwan Lam — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:39:04 +0000

Jacky Huang from ChinaHush introduces a shopping item, girl/boyfriend rental for Chinese New Year, in Taobao, a most popular online shopping website in China.