Mother of Vancouver Mayor’s Girlfriend Faces Death Penalty on Corruption Charges in China

The mayor has been called out for his cooperation with the authoritarian regime.

A photo taken inside Harbin City Intermediate People's Court on July 19 shows defendants Zhang Mingjie (right) and co-accused Wang Shaoyu at their corruption trial. To the right is Zhang Mingjie with her daughter Wanting Qu. Harbin City Intermediate People's Court;Weibo

Sometimes, who you know isn’t enough to bail you out.

Wanting Qu, Chinese pop singer and the girlfriend of Vancouver’s mayor, is the daughter of Zhang Mingjie, an official in northeast China who has been purged and is now in danger of execution for embezzling over $50 million.

Qu, whose first name is pronounced “wahn ting,” recently released a single called “Your Girl” in dedication of her mother, who she hasn’t seen for two years.

Wanting Qu and her mother in an undated social media photo. Sina Weibo