The case of Lai Changxing, how many secrets of the CCP's senior officials have been implemented, and how many of them are still standing (picture)

The case of Lai Changxing, how many of the CCP's senior officials have been dismissed, and how many of them are still standing (picture) Voice of America A Chinese court sentenced...

Voice of America

A Chinese court sentenced former wealthy businessman Lai Changxing to life imprisonment and confiscated his property for smuggling general goods and bribery. Lai Changxing's Yuanhua smuggling case led to the prosecution of a large number of Chinese officials, and some senior officials were sentenced to death.

*The amount involved in the case was astronomical that year*

The Intermediate Court of Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China, on May 18, sentenced Changxing, the leader of a private criminal group, to life imprisonment for the crime of smuggling general goods and 15 years for bribery.

The court stated that since 1991, Lai Changxing had formed a smuggling group in Hong Kong, Xiamen and other places. From 1995 to 1999, they used methods such as lying about the names of goods and breaking through customs to smuggle cigarettes, cars, refined oils, vegetable oils, chemical raw materials, textile raw materials, etc., with a total case value of nearly 27.4 billion yuan, and tax evasion of nearly 14 billion yuan. Lai Changxing also gave money, real estate, cars, etc. to 64 public servants for smuggling, equivalent to 40 million yuan.

>Many defendants involved in Lai Changxing's Yuanhua case await sentencing (November 8, 2000)

*The case shocked the officialdom*

Lai Changxing was accused of bribed many officials from the central to local governments. Although Lai Changxing survived, some senior officials accused of accepting bribes from Lai Changxing to escort his smuggling were executed.

The result of the Yuanhua case that year was that more than 700 people from Xiamen to Beijing, including political, military and public security officials, were involved in the case, more than 300 people were prosecuted, and 14 officials were sentenced to death. Former Fuzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau Director Zhuang Rushun and former Xiamen Customs Commissioner Yang Qianqian were sentenced to death. Former Deputy Minister of Public Security Li Jizhou and former General Staff Intelligence Department Director Ji Shengde were sentenced to suspended death. Former Xiamen Municipal Party Committee Secretary Shi Zhaobin was expelled from the party and public office.

Ji Shengde, the son of former Vice Prime Minister Ji Pengfei, was later commuted to life imprisonment and was granted medical parole. There is news that Ji Pengfei's death is also related to Ji Shengde's case.

However, the two top leaders who are said to have connections with Lai Changxing remain intact. When Yuanhua Company was accused of being involved in smuggling, Jia Qinglin was the top leader of Fujian Province. Lai Changxing later said that he had a good relationship with Jia Qinglin and his wife Lin Youfang at the time. However, Jia Qinglin's political career did not suffer setbacks, and he eventually became a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. It is said that Lai Changxing was also very familiar with General Liu Huaqing, then Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, but Liu Huaqing did not fall because of him.

*Escaped from the death penalty by fleeing to Canada*

The Yuanhua smuggling case occurred in 1999 and was handled by the then Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongxin. Lai Changxing and his wife fled to Canada after receiving the tip.

Beijing has been negotiating with Canada for a long time to extradite Lai Changxing. The issue remains over whether China will sentence Lai Changxing to death. Canada does not have the death penalty and prohibits the removal of detainees to countries where they may be executed. Last year, China abolished the death penalty for general cargo smuggling, clearing the way for the extradition of fugitive Lai Changxing.

The Chinese court did not sentence Lai Changxing to death and maintained the commitment he made to Canada before repatriating Lai Changxing. Not imposing the death penalty is considered to be conducive to the extradition of more corrupt officials who have fled in the future and the recovery of their assets. Some netizens commented in connection with the Wang Lijun incident that if you want to survive in China, you have to seek refuge in Western countries.

The Los Angeles Times of the United States once said, "Lai Changxing is an uneducated farmer. It is said that he has built a smuggling empire worth tens of billions of dollars. He is smart and resourceful and is good at using women to establish relationships with officials in the so-called 'Red Mansion.'"