In February, Chinese media reported on the strategy by which the Chinese regime’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) is going after corrupt high-level officials called “tigers.” The CCDI follows a methodical routine: it carefully goes step by step as it digs deeper and deeper; and every move taken is a strategic one that is part of a larger action.
Generally, before directly going after a high-ranking official, his family members and mistresses or friends and associates are first investigated, the report said. Two groups of people typically become investigation targets at this level—women/mistresses and businessmen.
In other words, digging starts at the outside and includes multiple sources of low-ranking officials to learn how these are related to the main target. After obtaining reliable evidence and gaining a good understanding of the case, the circle is tightened around the “tiger.” Tiger refers to a high-ranking, corrupt official in China.
Notable tigers who have fallen from political ranks in the past two years are the former Party head of the megacity Chongqing Bo Xilai, the former domestic security czar Zhou Yongkang, and former military leader Xu Caihou. All three were taken down through this process.
A number of clues lead me to predict that the net is closing around the biggest tiger, Jiang Zemin, and that he will come under investigation via the same procedure.
In an earlier statement, the CCDI mentioned that “retired senior [old, old] tigers” must also be included in the investigations. More recent media reports said that “the investigation of Zhou Yongkang is not the end of the anti-corruption campaign.” And finally, we see the most recent moves by the CCDI of going after Jiang’s close circle of influence.
The details for Jiang Zemin’s take-down are likely as follows:
Family Members
The investigation will start by going after family members and lovers, including Jiang Zemin’s eldest son Jiang Mianheng, the second son Jiang Miankang, cousin Jiang Zehui, grandson Alvin Jiang, and mistress Song Zuying.
Based on the media reports, members of the CCDI have already begun to show up at places where Jiang Zemin and his sons have made their fortunes: Shanghai, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the First Automobile Works, and other places.
Son Jiang Mianheng
In November 1999, Jiang Mianheng was named vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, owing to the political clout of his father. In 2005, he was also named director of the Shanghai Branch, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Jiang Mianhang has been named “the most corrupt man in China” as he was also involved in telecommunications and other industries. As for how far corruption runs in the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it is likely that this, too, will soon be out in the open.
Jiang Mianheng also held the titles of inspection member for Shanghai Construction Committee and director of Shanghai Information Research Center for Urban Development. As such, he is suspected of having close ties with the recently arrested Wang Zongnan, chairman of Shanghai Guangming Group. Whether (valuable) corruption evidence can be obtained from Wang has to be seen.
Cousin Jiang Zehui
In addition, the Chinese military website 9000wy.com released a report during the Beidaihe meeting about the relationship between Jiang Zehui and Hua Bangsong, chairman and executive director of Wilson Enginering.
Earlier, Chinese media widely reported about a money link between (the arrested) Hua Bangsong and Zhou Yongkang’s son, Zhou Bin. Though the web article did not disclose the exact nature of the relationship between Jiang Zehui and Hua Bangsong, the exposure of a photo of the two is by no means an accident.
It is known that Jiang Zehui and Hua Bangsong are both from Jiangsu Province. A netizen by the name of Hsu Hsiang revealed a few things about the two.
Reports have it that Hua Bangsong valued frienships, and that he was very “generous.” This allowed for the establishment of close relationships with many officials from the petrochemical industry, such as Jiang Jiemin.
It was Jiang Jiemin who introduced Zhou Bin to Hua Bangsong, who then met Jiang Zehui. Through these relationships Hua Bangsong expanded his wealth rapidly in just 17 years, reaching 22 billion yuan (approx. US$3.58 billion). It remains to be seen whether there exists a money trail between Hua and Jiang Zehui.
Grandson Alvin Jiang
Back in April of this year, it was revealed that Alvin Jiang, grandson of Jiang Zemin and a partner at Boyu Capital Investment Adviser, made a lot of money in the private equity market. This could be a prelude to a future investigation.
Mistress Song Zuying
While members of the Jiang family were targets of the CCDI, Song Zuying, Jiang’s mistress, must have also been feeling the heat as there weren’t any news report about her for nearly a month. What’s more odd is that while Chinese media was compiling a list of female singers in the military, Song Zuying, director of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Navy Political Department of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, was not on it. It was rumored that Song was already under investigation.
Friends
Jiang Zemin’s friends, especially friends who are in business, would become the next targets.
On Aug. 11, Wang Zongnan, chairman of Shanghai Guangming Group, who had close ties with the Jiang family, was arrested. The purpose is very obvious to collect evidence of corruption against Jiang and his family members.
Close Associates
In addition to the arrests of Xu Caihou and Zhou Yongkang—both of whom are political outcasts now—and Jiang’s close advisor and political fixer Zeng Qinghong, whom Epoch Times has reported as under arrest, the CCDI recently arrived at Shanghai and the First Automobile Works in Changchun.
Shanghai has been Jiang Zemin’s home base and the First Automobile Works was Jiang’s work place once upon a time. After gaining political power, Jiang picked many high-ranking officials from the First Automobile Works to take up posts at central ministries and agencies.
The arrival of the CCDI means that the fate of two of Jiang’s close associates, Han Zheng and Wu Zhiming, is doomed. More than 70 employees of the First Automobile Works, have been reported to be under investigation. This is surely going to shake up the First Automobile Works and political circles in Jilin Province.
Signals released earlier by Xi Jinping all point to the fact that Jiang Zemin is in grave danger. As more of Jiang’s close associates are being investigated, it is only a matter of time before Jiang will go down the same path as Zhou Yongkang, Xu Caihou, and Zeng Qinghong.
