Why China is so determined to get Ching Mo Yeung – and why he’s so desperate to stay in Canada
The Hebei corruption scandal that brought down Ching’s father saw one man executed and another jailed for life
UPDATE: Michael Ching Mo Yeung has commenced legal proceedings against South China Morning Post in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Mr Ching alleges in his lawsuit that this article contains false and defamatory statements, and that the conduct of South China Morning Post and its reporter was malicious, reprehensible, high-handed, and blameworthy.
Canadian media have mainly depicted Ching as an alleged white-collar criminal, but this does not do justice to Beijing’s interest in him. In China, Cheng Muyang is better known as the long-sought son of the late Hebei governor and provincial Communist Party chief Cheng Weigao – a major figure in the extensive annals of Chinese political corruption.
“He allegedly used his influence to enable his wife and children to engage in illegal activities, accept valuable gifts as bribes, and connive with his two secretaries to commit crimes,” the People’s Daily said in 2003.
It’s important here to note that the South China Morning Post has no proof of Michael Ching Mo Yeung’s guilt or innocence. But it is also important to note the unproven Chinese stance on Ching’s father to understand why such apparent importance has been attached to the pursuit of his son, now a Vancouver property developer who stands accused of graft and illegally transferring assets. Michael Ching Mo Yeung has been a permanent resident of Canada since 1996; he is currently battling for refugee status to avoid deportation to China, having long been denied Canadian citizenship.
The fate of those who surrounded Cheng Weigao during his tenure in Hebei - where he was governor from 1991-1993, then party secretary from 1993-1998 - makes for rather grim reading. Their crimes mainly centre on bribery and kickback schemes involving housing and construction in the northern province.
It was supposedly the biggest Chinese state corruption case in value at the time.
Li’s predecessor as Cheng’s secretary, Wu Qingwu, was also handed a death sentence, albeit suspended after two years to life imprisonment; according to the well-regarded Chinese magazine Lifeweek, when Wu wanted to leave Cheng’s office to enter the private sector, Li promised that he would favour Wu’s interests once he assumed Wu’s job. Li, who went on to head Hebei’s tax office, would later strike the same deal with his own successor, Lifeweek reported.
Dozens of other officials, senior and junior, were convicted of various roles in the Hebei scandal and were handed hefty sentences. The deputy chief of the provincial construction committee, Li Shanlin, was sentenced to 14 years; the former mayor of Shijiazhuang, Zhang Erchen, was jailed for 10 years.
It’s clear from all of this that Michael Ching Mo Yeung is unlikely to be regarded by Beijing like any other mere suspect in a middling white-collar crime. And it’s not surprising that he is fighting tooth and nail to stay in Canada.
UPDATE: On August 23, 2016, Interpol concluded that data registered in its files concerning Michael Ching Mo Yeung was not compliant with Interpol’s rules and, accordingly, the data including the Interpol “red notice” previously issued was deleted.
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The Hongcouver blog is devoted to the hybrid culture of its namesake cities: Hong Kong and Vancouver. All story ideas and comments are welcome. Connect with me by email [email protected] or on Twitter, @ianjamesyoung70.