Former Party chief of Hangzhou expelled from Party, public office for corruption

VCG

Zhou Jiangyong, a former Party chief of Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province, was expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and public office for violating laws and disciplines, colluding with the capital and supporting capital expanding disorderly, China's top anti-graft agency said in a statement published on Wednesday.

Zhou was put under both disciplinary and supervisory investigations by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission in August, 2021. The CCDI said the former official ignored the spirits of the central government, colluded with the capital and supported capital expanding disorderly. He also violated the rules by interfering in the market economy and engaged in the corruptive activities with family members.

The CPC top disciplinary agency pledged to maintain a strong and persistent crackdown on corruption in a communiqué released Thursday. The document also said the Party will actively handle "the new challenges and new situations" of the anti-corruption campaign, including strengthening investigations and punishment behind the "disorderly expansion of capital" and monopoly of some online platforms, vowing to cut off the collusion between capital and power.

A documentary, which is the first episode of an anti-graft TV series produced by China's discipline inspection authorities, recently revealed the details about Zhou's case. As Zhejiang is a dynamic place for the market economy, some local officials used relatives to engage in commerce, and Zhou used the public power to provide the convenience for his brother, Zhou Jianyong, to do business.

Zhou started his career as a high school teacher in Ningbo, another city in Zhejiang, before quickly taking up a political career. Before becoming the Party chief of Hangzhou in May 2018, Zhou held similar positions in the cities of Zhoushan and Wenzhou. He is also a delegate to the 19th CPC National Congress. He spent his entire political career in Zhejiang.

From 2013 to 2017, Zhou Jiangyong offered help to a local businessman Shi Shihong who then bribed his brother Zhou Jianyong with the sum of over 90 million yuan (US$14.2 million), according to one episode of the documentary. His brother Zhou Jianyong then became a bridge of bribery between the former Party chief of Hangzhou with local businessmen in providing them with lower land prices and favorable policies in tax.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee has improved Party conduct, upheld integrity and combated corruption with unprecedented courage and resolve.

Zhou seriously violated the Party's political disciplines, constituted a serious duty violation and was suspected of taking bribes, which has to be dealt with seriously, the CCDI said.

While Zhou was expelled from the Party and the public office, the top disciplinary authority confiscated his illegal income and transferred the case to the procuratorate for prosecution according to the law, the CCDI said.