A Chinese billionaire living in virtual exile in New York, Guo Wengui
has riled China’s leaders with his sometimes outlandish tales of deep
corruption among family members of top Communist Party officials.
On Saturday, his tales proved too much for one of his favorite platforms for broadcasting those accusations: Facebook.
The
social media network said it had blocked a profile under Mr. Guo’s name
and taken down another page associated with him. Facebook said the
content on both pages had included someone else’s personal identifiable
information, which violates its terms of service.
social media network said it had blocked a profile under Mr. Guo’s name
and taken down another page associated with him. Facebook said the
content on both pages had included someone else’s personal identifiable
information, which violates its terms of service.
Facebook investigated the accounts after receiving a complaint, according to a spokeswoman.
“We
want people to feel free to share and connect on Facebook, as well as
to feel safe, so we don’t allow people to publish the personal
information of others without their consent,” the spokeswoman, Charlene
Chian, said. She declined to say who had complained.
want people to feel free to share and connect on Facebook, as well as
to feel safe, so we don’t allow people to publish the personal
information of others without their consent,” the spokeswoman, Charlene
Chian, said. She declined to say who had complained.
Greater Corruption in China? A Billionaire Says He Has Evidence
It
happens in Russia — occasionally. An oligarch, made fabulously wealthy
through the privatization of state assets, breaks ranks, becoming a
critic of President Vladimir V. Putin.
happens in Russia — occasionally. An oligarch, made fabulously wealthy
through the privatization of state assets, breaks ranks, becoming a
critic of President Vladimir V. Putin.
China was
different. Its growing ranks of billionaires often owe their fortunes
to the good graces of the Communist Party and its leading families. But
the firsthand knowledge that the country’s tycoons might have of the
complex shareholding ties that serve to enrich the political elite had
stayed secret.
different. Its growing ranks of billionaires often owe their fortunes
to the good graces of the Communist Party and its leading families. But
the firsthand knowledge that the country’s tycoons might have of the
complex shareholding ties that serve to enrich the political elite had
stayed secret.
That changed this year. In two rambling interviews with a New York-based media company lasting more than four hours, Guo Wengui,
a real estate magnate, described what he said was a ferocious struggle
that culminated two years ago in the collapse of a business deal pitting
him against relatives of a retired top Communist Party official, He
Guoqiang.
a real estate magnate, described what he said was a ferocious struggle
that culminated two years ago in the collapse of a business deal pitting
him against relatives of a retired top Communist Party official, He
Guoqiang.
Since then, Mr. Guo has lived abroad, and is a member of President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
In going public with his charges, Mr. Guo demonstrated just how dangerous a loose-lipped billionaire can be to China’s
Communist Party. The party still strives to cultivate an image of
selfless service to the nation, with state-run news media repeatedly
emphasizing that no official is immune to President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive, now in its fifth year.
Communist Party. The party still strives to cultivate an image of
selfless service to the nation, with state-run news media repeatedly
emphasizing that no official is immune to President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive, now in its fifth year.
If
Mr. Guo is to be believed, Mr. Xi, when he assumed leadership of the
Communist Party in November 2012, may have faced a far more serious
corruption problem than has been publicly disclosed, touching not only
the departing chief of the country’s security forces but perhaps also
the top official in charge of rooting out graft in the party’s own
ranks, Mr. He. Both were members of the Politburo Standing Committee,
the elite body that wields supreme power in China.
Mr. Guo is to be believed, Mr. Xi, when he assumed leadership of the
Communist Party in November 2012, may have faced a far more serious
corruption problem than has been publicly disclosed, touching not only
the departing chief of the country’s security forces but perhaps also
the top official in charge of rooting out graft in the party’s own
ranks, Mr. He. Both were members of the Politburo Standing Committee,
the elite body that wields supreme power in China.
“If you are Xi Jinping and
you are deciding to go after corruption, can you take them on all at
once?” asked Andrew Wedeman, a professor of political science at Georgia
State University who studies corruption in Chinese politics.
you are deciding to go after corruption, can you take them on all at
once?” asked Andrew Wedeman, a professor of political science at Georgia
State University who studies corruption in Chinese politics.
China confirms tycoon Guo Wengui wanted by Interpol
seeking the arrest of Guo Wengui, a tycoon who claimed to have evidence
of corruption at the top of the Communist Party.
The comments from foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang confirmed
reports by the South China Morning Post that the notice was issued at
Beijing’s request. Lu did not give details of Guo’s alleged crimes.
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