Jiang Mianheng, son of former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Jiang Zemin, has been suspected of taking bribes from Shanghai tycoon Zhou Zhengyi who is on trial for bribery. Although the Chinese authorities have an audio record of a conversation between Jiang and Zhou, no action has been yet taken against Jiang.
The Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy disclosed the above information on October 24. But the Information Center did not confirm whether Jiang’s business interactions with Zhou had carried criminal liabilities.
Quoting an unidentified source, the Information Center reported that on the night of May 26, 2003, Jiang met Zhou at a karaoke bar where he leaked government secrets to Zhou, including information related to Liu Jinbao, the former CEO of the Bank of China (Hong Kong).
Prior to this meeting, the authorities had already been monitoring Zhou’s cell phone. Learning about the meeting, investigators microphone the bar before they arrived, and recorded their conversation.
According to the Information Center, after Jiang left the bar that night, Zhou was immediately arrested. The recording of the conversation between Jiang and Zhou was forwarded to top CCP officials.
Zhou Zhengyi is a well-known businessman who started in Shanghai and later moved his business to Hong Kong. He was an active member of Hong Kong’s highest social circle.
Before Zhou’s current trial, he had served 3 years in prison from 2003 for charges including bribery. Zhou has long been accused by the citizens of Shanghai of illegally obtaining property.
Zhou’s case in 2003 involved many government officials. Not long after Zhou’s conviction in 2003, quite a few Shanghai government officials were arrested on charges of abusing social security funds, among which was the widely reported Chen Liangyu, former Secretary of Shanghai Municipal Party Committee.
Zhou’s case is under a new round of investigation, which many attribute to the fall of Jiang Zemin, Zhou’s old patron. It is widely believed that this time Zhou will face much heavier punishment.
