BEIJING - China has put Zhou Yongkang, one of the most powerful politicians of the last decade, under virtual house arrest while the ruling Communist Party investigates accusations of corruption against him, several sources said on Wednesday.
Zhou is the most senior official to be ensnared in a graft scandal since the Communists came to power in 1949. He was the domestic security tsar and a member of the party's Politburo Standing Committee - the pinnacle of power in the country - when he retired last year.
"Zhou Yongkang's freedom has been restricted. His movements have been monitored," one source said, adding that he cannot leave his Beijing home or receive guests without prior approval.
Xi was installed as head of the party just over a year ago, and as president in March, and the investigation illustrates his growing power and confidence that he can manage any rift that may ensue.
In ordering the investigation, Xi has broken with an unwritten understanding that members of the Standing Committee will not be investigated after retirement.
"Xi has pulled out all the tiger's teeth," a second source said, referring to the downfall of Zhou's men, including Jiang Jiemin, who was the top regulator of state-owned enterprises for just five months until September when state media said he was put under investigation for "serious discipline violations".
"Zhou Yongkang is a toothless tiger and tantamount to a dead tiger. The question is: will Xi skin the tiger?" the source said, referring to a trial.
Political analysts say such an indictment and a trial would instill fear in other retired leaders and the party's 80 million members, worsening infighting among rival political factions.
Jonathan Fenby, director of China research at analyst group Trusted Sources, said any form of public trial of Zhou would be"potential for embarrassment ... given his long tenure at the top".
The Chinese government has neither confirmed nor denied Chinese-language media reports in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the United States that Zhou has been arrested on charges of corruption and other crimes."
Take a breather from the unprecedented violent rioting in the last 40 years in Little India, Singapore, and looked at this intriguing act by the CCP against one of its most powerful cadres.
Lessons for me are:
1. is it true that some Chinese friends of mine who said: "If you are NOT 'somehow' corrupted in a corrupted system, you cannot survive it and will have no chance to bide your time to rise and champion meaningful reforms later." are right? I guessed there is some truth to it. The question is: how should one pretend to be corrupt before being consumed by it and become totally really corrupted?!!;
2. these are very senior people with real power. How did they get there if the system does not allow them? Is this system so sick that NOT to eradicate the root of corruption from deep down, the whole system will collapse and there is NO MORE say by the authorities in power to chart the course for the disenchanted public, the people? I believe it is safe to assume that at least President Xi and his team believe that IF they allow the corruption to continue, they will lose their legitimacy and the people, the true masters, will rebel. This is too much of a stake for them to ignore. So, someone high enough in the hierarchy MUST be 'sacrificed' and be the 'face of public enemy No. 1'. What better than the one who used to be in charge of ensuring Public Security! How ironical can it be!;
3. will the in-fighting spin out of control? It is unlikely as the people in power will use all the power to silent any dissenters without any mercy. This must be done. And will be done. The leaders know the stake at hands. There will be no 'if or but' when it comes to this fight! So, the trial, public or not is still debatable, will go on.
Hopefully, the leadership has demonstrated enough evidence that they are serious to eradicate corruption, the cancer that will kill all of them. The choice is very clear!
Zhou is the most senior official to be ensnared in a graft scandal since the Communists came to power in 1949. He was the domestic security tsar and a member of the party's Politburo Standing Committee - the pinnacle of power in the country - when he retired last year.
"Zhou Yongkang's freedom has been restricted. His movements have been monitored," one source said, adding that he cannot leave his Beijing home or receive guests without prior approval.
Xi was installed as head of the party just over a year ago, and as president in March, and the investigation illustrates his growing power and confidence that he can manage any rift that may ensue.
In ordering the investigation, Xi has broken with an unwritten understanding that members of the Standing Committee will not be investigated after retirement.
"Xi has pulled out all the tiger's teeth," a second source said, referring to the downfall of Zhou's men, including Jiang Jiemin, who was the top regulator of state-owned enterprises for just five months until September when state media said he was put under investigation for "serious discipline violations".
"Zhou Yongkang is a toothless tiger and tantamount to a dead tiger. The question is: will Xi skin the tiger?" the source said, referring to a trial.
Political analysts say such an indictment and a trial would instill fear in other retired leaders and the party's 80 million members, worsening infighting among rival political factions.
Jonathan Fenby, director of China research at analyst group Trusted Sources, said any form of public trial of Zhou would be"potential for embarrassment ... given his long tenure at the top".
The Chinese government has neither confirmed nor denied Chinese-language media reports in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the United States that Zhou has been arrested on charges of corruption and other crimes."
Take a breather from the unprecedented violent rioting in the last 40 years in Little India, Singapore, and looked at this intriguing act by the CCP against one of its most powerful cadres.
Lessons for me are:
1. is it true that some Chinese friends of mine who said: "If you are NOT 'somehow' corrupted in a corrupted system, you cannot survive it and will have no chance to bide your time to rise and champion meaningful reforms later." are right? I guessed there is some truth to it. The question is: how should one pretend to be corrupt before being consumed by it and become totally really corrupted?!!;
2. these are very senior people with real power. How did they get there if the system does not allow them? Is this system so sick that NOT to eradicate the root of corruption from deep down, the whole system will collapse and there is NO MORE say by the authorities in power to chart the course for the disenchanted public, the people? I believe it is safe to assume that at least President Xi and his team believe that IF they allow the corruption to continue, they will lose their legitimacy and the people, the true masters, will rebel. This is too much of a stake for them to ignore. So, someone high enough in the hierarchy MUST be 'sacrificed' and be the 'face of public enemy No. 1'. What better than the one who used to be in charge of ensuring Public Security! How ironical can it be!;
3. will the in-fighting spin out of control? It is unlikely as the people in power will use all the power to silent any dissenters without any mercy. This must be done. And will be done. The leaders know the stake at hands. There will be no 'if or but' when it comes to this fight! So, the trial, public or not is still debatable, will go on.
Hopefully, the leadership has demonstrated enough evidence that they are serious to eradicate corruption, the cancer that will kill all of them. The choice is very clear!
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