Former Minister of Justice Tang Yijun has been arrested. (New Tang Dynasty Television screenshot)
October 20, 2024 - According to a report by mainland Chinese media on October 18, former CCP Minister of Justice Tang Yijun has been arrested. Tang Yijun's bribery case has entered the judicial process. He will be prosecuted, tried, and ultimately imprisoned.
Tang Yijun is the third former CCP Minister of Justice to be investigated and prosecuted, following Wu Aiying and Fu Zhenghua. The downfall of three successive ministers is a rare and remarkable occurrence.
In my view, Tang Yijun’s arrest offers at least three important lessons:
First, Corrupt Officials Promote Other Corrupt Officials – Leading to a Cycle of Corruption
Who was the key figure behind Tang Yijun’s appointment as Minister of Justice? According to research by Gao Xin, a columnist for Radio Free Asia, it was Zhao Leji, who was then a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and the Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Tang Yijun once served as the secretary to Liu Feng, former Vice Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Political Consultative Conference. Before this, Liu Feng had worked in Qinghai for a long time and had a close relationship with Zhao Leji’s father, Zhao Ximin. After Zhao Ximin was transferred back to Shaanxi, the Zhao family moved to Xi'an, but Zhao Leji remained in Qinghai, under the care of Liu Feng.
Later, when Zhao Leji went to study at Peking University and rose through the ranks in Qinghai’s Commercial Department, he received assistance from Liu Feng.
From 1991 to 1997, during Liu Feng's tenure as the Vice Secretary of Zhejiang, Tang Yijun served as his personal secretary for six years. Tang's key career advancement came in 2016 when he was promoted to Acting Mayor of Ningbo. Liu Feng turned to Zhao Leji, then head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee, and with Zhao's help, Tang was promoted.
With Zhao Leji's continued support, Tang Yijun's political career soared. In just four years, he rose from Acting Mayor of Ningbo to Minister of Justice.
What kind of person is Zhao Leji? On April 13, 2024, I published an article in Epoch Times titled, "Is Zhao Leji a Seriously Corrupt Official?" After reviewing Zhao Leji’s career, I concluded that Zhao is undoubtedly a severely corrupt figure.
If Zhao Leji, a deeply corrupt official, promoted Tang Yijun, it’s no surprise that Tang is also seriously corrupt.
According to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), Tang Yijun “abused the cadre selection and appointment process for personal gain and accepted bribes; violated principles of integrity by using his position to help relatives secure financial deals; illegally interfered in market and judicial activities; failed to properly manage and educate his family; and engaged in significant power-for-money exchanges... He used his position to seek profits in business operations, company listings, personnel promotions, and case handling, receiving large amounts of illegal payments.”
The CCDI report also emphasized that Tang Yijun "failed to curb his misconduct after the 18th National Congress of the CCP," which took place in November 2012. In other words, since that time, Tang flagrantly ignored the directives of Xi Jinping’s administration, continuing to engage in corruption.
This is the inevitable result of corrupt officials promoting and empowering other corrupt officials.
Second, Do Not Harbor Any Illusions About the CCP's "Rule of Law"
Since the CCP proposed the idea of "rule of law" in 1997, 27 years have passed. Based on the attitudes and practices of the three former Ministers of Justice—Wu Aiying, Fu Zhenghua, and Tang Yijun—toward laws and regulations, as well as the fact that they were all promoted and employed by the CCP, it is clear that the CCP's so-called "rule of law" is nothing more than an empty slogan.
On October 14, 2017, the 7th Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CCP reviewed and approved the CCDI's investigation report on Wu Aiying’s severe disciplinary violations, confirming the earlier decision by the Politburo to expel her from the party.
When was Wu Aiying placed under investigation? What were her severe disciplinary violations? When did the Politburo expel her from the party? Why was she expelled? Did she also commit serious legal violations beyond disciplinary issues? None of these important questions were publicly explained by the CCP.
Why?
Because the truth is too embarrassing, and revealing it would bring ridicule from both the Chinese people and the international community.
In an interview with Epoch Times, Zhang Zanning, a professor at Southeast University Law School, bluntly stated: “Minister of Justice Wu Aiying herself was utterly ignorant of the law” and “Wu Aiying was a major obstacle to China’s legal development, and one of the main forces undermining the rule of law.”
On October 8, 2016, lawyers Cheng Hai and others published an online “Citizen Supervisory Proposal for the Immediate Removal of Wu Aiying as Minister of Justice,” calling on the National People’s Congress (NPC), the State Council, the CCDI, and the Ministry of Supervision to legally remove Wu Aiying from her post.
The letter noted that since 2014, over 200 lawyers and citizens had repeatedly petitioned the Ministry of Justice, the State Council, and related courts regarding illegal annual assessments conducted by the Ministry of Justice on lawyers and law firms. These petitions involved dozens of requests for government information disclosures, supervisory recommendations, administrative reviews, State Council rulings, and administrative lawsuits. Some even submitted supervisory proposals through NPC representatives. However, Wu Aiying and others turned a blind eye, even refusing to implement a 2013 order from the State Council that all non-government-approved evaluations and assessments must stop by the end of June that year.
The Ministry of Justice under Wu issued multiple regulations that violated the Constitution and laws, reduced the rights of lawyers and law firms, imposed additional obligations, expanded the authority of judicial departments, severely infringed upon lawyers’ legal rights, and undermined the proper implementation of the Constitution and laws. Under Wu’s leadership, the Ministry of Justice became an independent kingdom, opposing the Constitution, laws, and the State Council. As the Minister of Justice, Wu Aiying bore primary responsibility for this and should have been removed from her post immediately.
By noon on October 10, 2016, about 400 people had signed the letter.
Yet despite Wu Aiying's glaring incompetence, CCP leaders turned a deaf ear and allowed her to remain in power, issuing directives as Minister of Justice for a full 12 years.
Wu Aiying became Minister of Justice in July 2005 and remained in office until her retirement in February 2017, at the age of 65.
During Wu’s tenure, one of the biggest scandals was her promotion of a so-called "Five-Fake Official"—an official who had falsified his age, education, party membership documents, work experience, and family background.
This individual, named Lu Enguang, was from Wu’s hometown in Shandong. Due to his skill in using money to buy influence and positions, he gained Wu Aiying’s favor. With Wu's strong support, Lu eventually became the Director of the Political Department (at the vice-ministerial level) responsible for cadre selection and appointment in the Ministry of Justice.
Who, then, was Wu Aiying’s successor, Fu Zhenghua?
According to the CCDI, Fu Zhenghua exhibited “extremely low political character, was opportunistic, driven by personal ambition, and would stop at nothing to achieve his political goals; he joined Sun Lijun’s political clique, engaged in factionalism, and pursued personal gain; he fabricated lies on major issues and deceived the central leadership.” Furthermore, Fu had “no respect for discipline and law, violated laws while enforcing them, was corrupt, abused power, and arbitrarily wielded authority.” He was also accused of engaging in massive power-for-money exchanges, illegally receiving huge sums of money.
On September 22, 2022, Fu Zhenghua was convicted of accepting 117 million yuan in bribes and was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve. After the reprieve, his sentence was reduced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or further sentence reductions.
What about Tang Yijun, Fu’s successor?
As discussed earlier, Tang Yijun was deeply corrupt. The CCDI specifically highlighted that Tang Yijun “had no regard for discipline and law.” A Minister of Justice with “no regard for discipline and law”—isn’t that an international joke?
Based on the CCDI’s reports, it’s likely that Tang Yijun will receive a death sentence with reprieve or, at the very least, life imprisonment.
Wu Aiying was a "legal illiterate," Fu Zhenghua had "no respect for discipline and law," and Tang Yijun had "no regard for discipline and law." Can we truly expect them to uphold the "rule of law"?
These three individuals were selected and appointed by the CCP as Ministers of Justice. Can we realistically expect those who selected and appointed them to genuinely "rule the country according to law"?
Third, Those Who Ignore Warnings and Vigorously Persecute Falun Gong Will Face Retribution
There is an ancient belief that “good deeds are rewarded, and evil deeds are punished.” This principle holds that retribution may not come immediately, but when the time is right, it is inevitable. This is an unchanging truth of the universe.
Tang Yijun's political career began in Zhejiang, then moved to Liaoning, and eventually to the Ministry of Justice. Along the way, I believe many Falun Gong practitioners likely told him the truth about Falun Gong.
The core principles of Falun Gong are “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.” Falun Gong teaches its practitioners to live according to these values, striving to become better individuals who are selfless and considerate of others. These principles are beneficial to individuals, families, communities, nations, and humanity as a whole, with no harm whatsoever.
This is one of the reasons why Falun Gong was so widely embraced by the public after it was first introduced. It is also one of the key reasons why, despite the brutal persecution launched by CCP dictator Jiang Zemin on July 20, 1999, the regime’s efforts to suppress Falun Gong have failed. Moreover, since the persecution began, Falun Gong has continued to spread globally, now practiced in 156 countries and regions.
After more than 20 years of persistent truth-telling by Falun Gong practitioners worldwide, the truth of “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” has been widely disseminated.
However, after Tang Yijun became Minister of Justice, he turned a blind eye to the truth about Falun Gong. Instead, he increased efforts to persecute Falun Gong practitioners, hoping to climb higher in the political ranks.
On August 24, 2021, the Ministry of Justice issued new “Prison Scoring and Assessment Regulations for Criminals.” This revision was overseen by Tang Yijun and included Article 23, which openly labeled Falun Gong as a “cult” and included “promoting or practicing Falun Gong” as grounds for failing the assessment.
Before Tang Yijun’s tenure as Minister of Justice, two previous versions of the "Prison Scoring and Assessment Regulations" had been issued by the Ministry of Justice. Neither version labeled Falun Gong as a “cult,” nor did they list “promoting or practicing Falun Gong” as disqualifying criteria for the assessment.
From April 2020, when Tang Yijun took over as Minister of Justice, until January 2023, when he stepped down, many Falun Gong practitioners in CCP prisons were persecuted, resulting in injury, disability, insanity, and death due to the aforementioned regulations. Tang Yijun bears inescapable responsibility for these tragedies, both as a leader and under the law.
Tang Yijun likely believed that by intensifying the persecution of Falun Gong, he could demonstrate his competence, win praise, and gain promotions and wealth. Little did he know that opposing “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance” and persecuting people who strive to live by these principles is a grave sin. His actions have directly led to his current downfall.
Tang Yijun’s two predecessors, Wu Aiying and Fu Zhenghua, were also investigated and punished, partly due to their active participation in persecuting Falun Gong. Many other CCP officials have faced retribution for their involvement in this persecution, though there is no need to elaborate further here.
Conclusion
In recent years, CCP leader Xi Jinping has been plagued by constant anxiety, worried about military coups, political revolts, and civil unrest. He fears that the CCP could meet the same fate as fallen regimes in the past.
Looking at the downfall of three successive Ministers of Justice—Wu Aiying, Fu Zhenghua, and Tang Yijun—and seeing that Zhao Leji, a deeply corrupt official who promoted Tang Yijun, still holds a seat in the Politburo and serves as the Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (the highest legislative body in China), it’s likely that Xi’s fears may soon become a reality.
Epoch Times Exclusive
Editor: Gao Yi
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