China’s Former Security Chief Imprisoned For Life For Corruption
On Thursday, the First Intermediate People’s Court convened in the city of Tianjin, China, in a secret hearing and convicted Zhou Yongkang, China’s ex domestic security chief, on charges of corruption, abusing his power, and disclosure of classified government secrets.
Zhou, 72, was a former member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee and was sentenced to life in prison for his corruption charges. This ruling marks the end of a long investigation and trial that began when Zhou was arrested and expelled from the Communist Party late last year.
Zhou, who was infamous for corruption scandals, becomes the highest-ranking official to be arrested and brought down in recent decades. His downfall marks yet another top-ranking official to be convicted of corruption charges during President Xi Jinping’s tenure.
Since taking over power in late 2012, Xi has vowed to pursue government officials who have exploited government resources in his anti-corruption campaign — a campaign that some view as a ruthless attempt to further consolidate his power and standing as China’s leading official. In 2013, Xi went after party leader Bo Xilai and General Xu Caihou for corruption scandals as well, and both men were also Zhou’s allies.
According to reports by USA Today, Zhou took over $21 million in bribes, and his wife and son also received property and money that totaled to $20 million dollars. Furthermore, the former security chief and a number of his associates were involved in illegal business enterprises, siphoning off more than $340 million, which resulted in a loss of $229 million for the Chinese government.
During the trial, the disgraced Zhou pled guilty and made no attempt to deny his past corruption. He admitted to his corrupt misdeeds in an open and honest statement to the judge.
“The basic facts are clear. I plead guilty and repent my wrongdoing. Those involved, who bribed my family, were actually coming after the power I held, and I should take the main responsibility. I broke the law and Party rules incessantly, and the objective facts of my crimes have resulted in grave losses of the Party and the nation. The handling of my case in accordance with Party rules and the law reflects the authorities’ determination to govern the Party strictly and advance the rule of law.”
Considering the fact that the death sentence can be applied to cases of corruption in China, the Washington Post reports that Zhou’s life sentence, along with the confiscation of all his assets and loss of political rights, is not considered as an extremely harsh sentence.
