China declares probe into another former justice official, Liu Zhiqiang, who was vice-minister and on Interpol committee

by

Beijing’s former vice-justice minister Liu Zhiqiang, who once served on the committee of Interpol, has been placed under investigation in China, according to the country’s top anti-graft agency on Tuesday.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection published a brief statement on its website saying Liu, 60, was “undergoing disciplinary review and supervisory investigation” and was “suspected of serious violations of discipline and law” – a euphemism for corruption.

The statement did not give further details.

07:00

China airs 4-part anti-corruption series on prime-time TV amid renewed crackdown on graft

China airs 4-part anti-corruption series on prime-time TV amid renewed crackdown on graft

Liu was vice-minister at China’s justice ministry from January 2016 to June 2023.

He studied as an English major in Beijing in the early 1980s, then spent more than three decades in police-related foreign affairs positions before moving to the Ministry of Justice, public records show.

Liu started as a junior staff member at the Ministry of Public Security’s foreign affairs bureau in 1984 and rose through the ranks in its European and American affairs division.

In 1991-92, Liu was sent by the Chinese government to study police science and criminal justice at the University of Exeter in Britain where he earned a master’s degree.

He became deputy foreign affairs bureau chief in the public security ministry from 1999 to 2004. It overlapped with a stint from 2000 to 2003 as a member of the executive committee of the International Criminal Police Organisation, known as Interpol. The Lyon-based intergovernmental body allows police from different countries – including between countries that do not share diplomatic relations – to work together to tackle crime.

Man behind China’s first approved Covid-19 shot loses seat in legislature

He was promoted to foreign affairs bureau chief for the Ministry of Public Security in 2004, and in 2005 headed its international cooperation bureau.

Liu left Beijing in 2012 for China’s northwest Qinghai province where he led the provincial public security department and served as vice-provincial governor before returning to the Ministry of Justice in 2016.

The investigation into Liu comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping promotes a resolute crackdown on the country’s security and law enforcement apparatus, a campaign has been described as “turning the blade inward”. Hundreds of senior officials at a ministerial level have been brought down as Xi’s signature anti-corruption campaign enters its 11th year.

05:29

China executes scientist for spying in 2016, among 10 ‘shocking’ cases revealed in documentary

China executes scientist for spying in 2016, among 10 ‘shocking’ cases revealed in documentary

The probe into Liu closely follows that of Tang Yijun, China’s justice minister from 2020 to 2023, with whom Liu shared a work relationship for around three years. Tang was placed under investigation this month.
Liu’s tenure at the justice ministry also overlaps with Fu Zhenghua, China’s justice minister from 2018 to 2020, who was charged with corruption in 2021 and jailed for life in 2022 for taking 117 million yuan (US$16 million) in crimes that include bribery. Fu was also once China’s most powerful police chief.
Wu Aiying, a long-serving justice minister from 2005 to 2017, also fell under disgrace over corruption charges and was stripped of her party membership in 2017.

Read original article here

Denial of responsibility! Pioneer Newz is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.

Leave a Comment