Dark clouds hang over Tiananmen Square in Beijing. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
[People News] On February 2, the Chinese Communist Party officially announced that Tang Yijun, the former Minister of Justice and former Secretary of the Party Group and Chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Political Consultative Conference, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Xiamen Intermediate People's Court in Fujian Province for accepting bribes exceeding 137 million yuan. Insider reports suggest that Tang Yijun is also linked to the case involving Evergrande Real Estate Chairman Xu Jiayin, as he was directly implicated in the financial crisis surrounding the Evergrande Group. Xu Jiayin, in turn, has significant connections with the Zhejiang faction.
The truth behind Tang Yijun's removal
Reports indicate that during Tang Yijun's time as Governor of Liaoning Province, Evergrande Group secured numerous real estate projects in the region, which required substantial financial resources for development. Tang Yijun facilitated Evergrande's owner, Xu Jiayin, in obtaining control of Shengjing Bank, which ultimately resulted in Shengjing facing over 100 billion yuan in bad debts. The ongoing real estate and financial crises are currently impacting Xi Jinping's influential political allies. As Xi Jinping purges political rivals through anti-corruption measures, and with the main internal party adversaries eliminated, infighting has surfaced within the Xi family faction. The 'Zhejiang faction' has made minor missteps, leading to perceptions of their loyalty to Xi Jinping being less than that of others, which could spell trouble for them. Consequently, both Xu Jiayin and Tang Yijun have begun to be sidelined.
Tang Yijun was apprehended during a meeting. On the afternoon of March 28, 2024, while the Jiangxi Provincial Political Consultative Conference was conducting an internal meeting, Tang Yijun was informed that there was a phone call for him. Upon leaving the meeting room, he was taken directly to Beijing by personnel from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, leaving his belongings behind at the meeting venue.
Insiders have disclosed that Xu Jiayin was subjected to torture during his detention. When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uncovered issues related to Shengjing Bank, Xu Jiayin may have revealed his interactions with Tang Yijun and the associated issues of benefit transfer. In the CCP system, officials tend to protect one another, but once an official is ousted, there are always those ready to take advantage of the situation. Upon hearing rumours that Tang might be investigated, Liaoning Asset Management Co., Ltd. and related banks submitted evidence they possessed regarding Tang's issues.
The personnel involved in the Tang Yijun case are exceedingly complex, particularly with Evergrande, whose connections extend across government, business, and entertainment sectors, making the situation very intricate. This complexity is likely to expose more corrupt officials, which is probably what the CCP aims for, as it seeks to gather evidence to target political adversaries.
Who will Tang Yijun implicate?
Political analysts suggest that Zhao Leji played a crucial role in Tang Yijun's rise. Many of Zhao's close associates, former subordinates, and those he promoted have already faced purges. For instance, Li Pengxin, the former deputy secretary of the Xinjiang Party Committee, and Luo Yulin, a former vice-ministerial official of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, are among them. Whether Tang has ever expressed gratitude to Zhao or engaged in any dealings with him is known only to them.
Currently, Tang Yijun has voluntarily disclosed crimes that investigators were previously unaware of, which undoubtedly creates tension and discomfort for Zhao. Naturally, as Tang Yijun was in charge of the Ministry of Justice, he must have had connections with high-ranking officials within the ministry. Reports indicate that the individual Tang Yijun might be implicated with Meng Jianzhu. The self-media outlet [State Council Overseas Spokesperson] previously reported that Tang Yijun was secretly taken away and is deeply involved in the cases of Meng Jianzhu and Fu Zhenghua.
Fu Zhenghua, the former Minister of Justice under Tang Yihun, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve followed by life imprisonment on September 22, 2022. Meng Jianzhu has also seen several of his former subordinates arrested, including Sun Lijun, the former Deputy Minister of Public Security, Deng Huilin, the Deputy Mayor of Chongqing and Director of the Public Security Bureau, and Gong Daoan, the former Deputy Mayor of Shanghai and Director of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau. An unspoken rule in the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) anti-corruption campaign is that when officials are taken down, it often indicates that their patrons or backers can no longer be relied upon, either because they lack the ability to protect them or have fallen from power. In some cases, the backer may be on the verge of downfall, prompting authorities to first target their former subordinates, secretaries, and trusted aides, a tactic known as 'cutting the hem.' Additionally, another rule in the CCP's anti-corruption efforts is that those who possess evidence may not rush to act; the decision to take action depends on the political climate and the need to maintain power.
Tang Yijun's transfer from the Ministry of Justice to a nominal position in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was initially a humiliating reassignment. At that time, Tang likely realised that his situation was dire. Typically, he would have managed his connections to avoid responsibility, but his sudden arrest left him no time to prepare, suggesting that the CCP had already gathered substantial information beforehand. He may have become entangled in the internal power struggles within the CCP's upper echelons. One thing is certain: his benefactor has lost power and can no longer protect him. In the CCP's political system, no official has any loyalty or gratitude; everything is driven by self-interest, and at critical moments, they will betray one another.
In March of last year, during the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) of the Communist Party of China, Zhao Leji, who was then the Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, unexpectedly missed the meeting due to a respiratory infection. Vice Chairman Li Hongzhong promptly announced that he would take over the presiding duties for the closing ceremony. This incident was unprecedented in the history of the Communist Party and sparked significant public outcry. However, the following day, Zhao Leji appeared vibrant at a meeting with journalists, raising suspicions that something was wrong. Prior to this, Xi Jinping had delivered a stern three-minute reprimand to Zhao Leji during the NPC session, holding a report with a serious demeanour, occasionally pointing at the document and even banging on the table, clearly indicating his dissatisfaction with Zhao.
Whether it is Tang Yijun or any other high-ranking party and government official who may be implicated next, the repercussions of their misdeeds resonate with a line from 'The Peony Pavilion': 'Watching him build a high tower, watching him host guests, watching his tower collapse'...
As the 21st National Congress of the Communist Party approaches, Xi Jinping is likely seeking re-election and strategically positioning personnel. This may explain the intensified pace of the 'tiger hunting' campaign this year, with Tang Yijun receiving a severe sentence, which has only now been announced. Xi Jinping aims to set an example to deter those who oppose his re-election.
(First published by People News)
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