Ivan Ivanov writes from Beijing: Big, big fuss has erupted in China concerning a newspaper report that one of the top communist bosses in the land, Premier Wen Jiabao, has amassed a fortune of around $2.7 billion, spreading it cunningly among his family members to be seen as above board.
According to the NYT, Wen’s relatives’ held shares in property, insurance and construction companies, all areas that were under the direct control of ‘Grandpa Wen’.In China no businessman can succeed in anything until he gets the nod from the local comrades. And the more senior the comrades are, the bigger the thank you that they get.The Chinese government reacted swiftly and blocked the NYT websites, in English and in Chinese.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the NYT had ‘ulterior motives’ when publishing the report about Wen.
Corruption in any communist state and China is no exception, is endemic and goes to the very top, as it is the main glue that keeps the regime together.In USSR the once mighty Communist Party fell apart in a matter of four days. Yes, four days. So there is every chance that the Chinese comrades will follow the same path.
A post made earlier today over on Stirring Trouble Internationally – A humorous take on news and current affairs.
Chinese Prime minister Wen Jiabao at Tsinghua University, 2009.05.03 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Related articles
Chinese wall (Photo credit: rvw)
- China blocks New York Times over Wen Jiaboa wealth claims(theweek.co.uk)
- wealth of comrades (telegraphindia.com)
- Family of Chinese PM has hidden fortune: NYT (straitstimes.com)
