CHINA—Recently The Epoch Times reported that the Beijing Second Intermediate People’s Court accepted a civilian’s lawsuit against a current standing member of the regime’s Political Bureau. This unprecedented lawsuit has gained great attention from the world.
One expert believes the lawsuit’s acceptance involves higher level authorities beyond the Politics and Legal Committee and reveals the in-fighting and division inside the core political body.
Zhou Yongkang, former Public Security Minister and currently Party Chief for the Central Political and Legal Committee, was the head of the regime’s law enforcement and justice system.
Tong Jingguo, a native from Shanghai, filed a case against Zhou that was registered on September 20 at the Beijing Second Intermediate People’s Court. On October 16, the second day of the Chinese Communist Party’s 17th National Congress, the Ministry of Public Securities sent Tong an official document setting forth the administrative proceedings.
Several analysts told The Epoch Times that this case is the key for current leader Hu Jintao to remove Zhou and crush former leader Jiang Zemin’s power. It is also the preparation work for Hu to stand clear from Jiang’s crimes and hold Zhou, Lo Gan, and Jiang responsible for their crimes in the persecution of Falun Gong.
High Level Authorities Back the Court
Hu Jia, a human right activist, said it is almost impossible to register a case like this in court and enter proceedings. “The Political and Legal Committee is the head of the evil force in China. Complaints from common people against high level officials will never be accepted and the plaintiffs are often punished. Zhou is the Party Chief of the Political and Legal Committee and former Minister of Public Security.
“According to the organizational setting, both the Directors of the People’s Supreme Procurate and the Supreme Court report to Zhou. Zhou should have total power to control this case in any way he wants.
“Hence, there is either a power independent of and higher than the Political and Legal Committee that backs the decision of the court; another force pursuing judicial independence competing with the Political and Legal Committee; or a high level force using this case as a means to combat Zhou.”
Strike Jiang by Combating Zhou
Li Tianxiao, who received his Ph.D. in politics from Columbia University, said that Hu’s biggest threat comes from Jiang’s faction. Jiang tried everything to hold on to the power because Hu will make him pay for his dues once he loses power within the party.
Li thinks Hu is attempting to combat Jiang from three aspects—higher level political struggle, local forces, and within the party system. “In higher level politics, Hu’s biggest threat is Zhou, the Party Chief of the Political and Legal Committee who holds control over the police and armed police.
“Jiang worked hard to keep Zhou in that position and that is why Hu has taken on Zhou. Zhou is one of the culprits who suppresses Falun Gong and has terribly inadequate governing records in every political position he has held. Zhou’s only supporter is Jiang. Hu taking on Zhou will gain support from within the party and further crush Jiang’s people,” said Li.
Li said this case was registered in late September directly targeting Zhou. Hu hit Jiang’s regime right on its face expecting to stop Zhou from entering the standing committee of the Political Bureau. At the same time, by stopping the current Minister of Public Security from entering the Political Bureau and the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Hu suppresses the Ministry of Public Security and hence weakens Zhou’s influence.
Publicizing the Split in High Level Politics
Wu Fan, a political critic, said registering the complaint against Zhou is an apparent sign that Hu and Jiang’s political battle has rolled into the public’s eye. It means Hu is consciously trying to separate from Jiang and his crimes in suppressing Falun Gong and preparing for his next attack.
Preparing to Make Jiang Pay His Dues
According to Li, it is unprecedented that a court registered a case in which a common person sues a high level party official and the Ministry of Public Security was forced to issue an administrative proceeding. This case sets a precedent that any guilty official, even a high level official or a law enforcement party, can be sued. This is preparation work for Hu to later charge Jiang and his other followers for their crimes, and a powerful threat to Jiang.
“It’s a sign Hu wants to utilize public opinion. In this case, both appellant and lawyer are from Shanghai. Hu’s strategy is to capture Jiang in his own power camp, Shanghai. Hu has plotted three other similar cases (Zhou Zhengyi, Chen Liangyu, and Wang Weigong’s cases) targeting Jiang and his son,” said Li.
Li thinks Jiang Mianheng (Jiang’s son) and Zhou Yongkang’s cases will very possibly cause future conflicts between Hu and Jiang, which may become as extreme as mobilizing armed police.
A Tidal Wave of Corruption Lawsuits
Hu Jia considers this case meaningful regardless of the result. He thinks there will be tens of thousands of these types of cases emerging because people and history won’t forgive the killers who trample on human rights. Wu Fan thinks politics in China will evolve faster and more shockingly, based on this recent series of events.
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