A middle-aged taxation official charged with taking huge bribes has been used as an example by the watchdogs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to dissuade young government officials to remain honest and uncorrupted.
According to a circular issued recently by the CPC Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection and the Ministry of Supervision, Li Zhen was expelled from the Party by the commission for taking bribes, illegally possessing public property and receiving valuable items worth 10.51 million yuan (1.28 million U. S. dollars) over the past decade.
Li, who was deputy chief and later chief of the State Taxation Bureau of Hebei Province, was also fired by the State Administration of Taxation, and arrested, according to the circular.
Li was found to have taken bribes worth 8.68 million yuan ( about 1 million U.S. dollars) before and after he was appointed chief of the State Taxation Bureau of Hebei Province. He was secretary of the general offices of the Hebei Provincial government and the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee.
The circular pointed out that Li, 39, is a typical example of a young leading official accepting bribes by taking advantaging of his position.
Li's case "has once again sounded an alarm bell for young leading officials", notes the circular.
(People's Daily December 18, 2001)
