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INTRO
Two officials in southern Chinese province of Guangdong were recently exposed online due to holding multi-million dollar property portfolios that suggests corruption. Now
disciplinary authorities
have begun investigating the accusations.
The case comes after dozens of other officials were exposed online as owning much more than they earned, over the past few months...
Thanks to China's increasingly vocal online whistle-blowers.
Corruption has become the biggest concern to the Chinese people - and the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).
Now, two more officials are under fire:
Huang Xinze - chief of CPC committee of Lianfeng community, in the Xiaolan Township of Zhongshan City - and Huo Chengtang - the top financial official of the community.
The duo were exposed by a netizen on Sina Weibo - China's most popular microblogging service - as owning a combined eight pieces of land and properties valued at more than 15.87 million dollars.
The post was since widely circulated online, with netizens suspecting the pair of illegally profiting, from their positions in property management.
An investigation team was set up on January 4th, by a local disciplinary committee.
In an interview with CNC, Huang confessed that he and Huo jointly own the properties.
But insisted they own them legitimately... Through business...
SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) HUANG XINZE, Local CPC committee chief
"It's true that Huo and I own eight pieces of land. But we bought the land with money earned through our business."
Huang and Huo say they own more than 10 plants involved in businesses, including brick-making and printing.
And have submitted a report containing details of their properties to the town's disciplinary committee.
So far, no infringement by the officials has been found... But further investigation is underway.
A public affairs expert says community-level officials have substantial power especially in handling collectively owned land in rural areas.
China's Internet and newly emerged social networking services like Weibo have created a wide platform for the public to monitor officials...
Over the past few months, the wrongdoing or suspected corruption of dozens of officials has been exposed, by online whistle-blowers... Which even lead to some, getting sacked.
Cai Bin, an urban management official - also in Guangdong - was dismissed from his post in October, after online posts stated he owned 22 houses.
Zhai Zhenfeng, a former housing administration official in Henan Province, was detained last week on corruption charges, after a netizen revealed he owns 29 houses.
Despite China's tighter internet laws requiring microbloggers to reveal their real names when they open accounts...
Exposing corruption online has gained momentum after the 18th National Congress of the CPC in November...
When the newly elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping, named corruption the greatest threat, within the Party.
We'll bring you more on the outcome of that investigation once it concludes.
