A female official in China has been sentenced to 13 years in prison and fined one million yuan (about Rs 1.18 crore) for misconduct. South China Morning Post (SCMP)Zhong Yang, who was nicknamed “beautiful governor” because of her looks, was the governor of Qiannan prefecture in Guizhou province and deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). She is accused of having sexual relations with 58 male subordinates and accepting bribes worth nearly 60 million yuan.
Zhong, 52, joined the Communist Party at the age of 22, and eventually rose to the position of deputy in the National People’s Congress (NPC). Zhong is known for starting a fruit and agriculture association aimed at helping farmers, as well as spending her own money to help needy elderly people. SCMP Report.
In January, a documentary produced by Guizhou Radio and Television exposed controversies involving Ms Zhong. It was reported that Ms Zhong took bribes and used her position to ensure that her favoured companies received lucrative contracts under the pretext of government investment. This included approving the development of land in a high-tech industrial estate for a businessman who had close ties to her.
In the documentary, a private business owner claimed that Ms. Zhong ignores companies that have no personal relationship with her. The documentary also revealed that in 2023, the Guizhou Provincial Discipline Inspection and Supervision Committee announced that Ms. Zhong was suspected of serious disciplinary and legal violations.
In addition, the 52-year-old woman is also accused of having affairs with 58 male subordinates. Some reportedly chose to become her lovers because of the benefits she offered, while others did so reluctantly because they feared her authority. Ms. Zhong allegedly spent time with her lovers under the pretext of working overtime and going on business trips.
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Ms Zhong was arrested in April 2023. In September she was removed from office and expelled from the CPC. She also lost her position in the National People’s Congress.
In the documentary, Ms Zhong said she regretted her actions. She said, “I can’t face my former colleagues, family members or the leaders who took care of and raised me. I’m really ashamed and embarrassed.”
The 52-year-old said she mistakenly believed she needed to bring in some trusted businessmen to help her handle political issues. She also said that after she became an official, her parents would prepare a simple dish of vegetables and steamed tofu for her during Chinese New Year. “They told me … that my work and life should be as clean and pure as that dish. I accepted it and ate the food every year, but I didn’t take their advice to heart,” she said.