PLA colonel who oversees quality control for aircraft carriers placed under corruption probe: sources
Before moving to the little-known 048 Office, Chen Wenchao was involved in construction of barracks
China’s military graft-busters are investigating the colonel in charge of quality control for its aircraft carriers on suspicion of corruption, two separate sources say.
Chen Wenchao was placed under shuanggui, a form of interrogation, in recent days, with investigators looking into his handling of 170 million yuan (HK$197 million) over several years, one source told the South China Morning Post.
Chen, a senior colonel, is the chief quality control officer at the 048 Office, which handles new projects for China’s aircraft carriers. He was previously an assistant in the navy’s logistics department tasked with managing barracks construction.
He was promoted to head of the navy’s general hospital affairs department after finishing two major projects in Beijing’s Fengtai district, one source said. Two years ago he was moved to the aircraft carrier office.
“Chen’s key problem is probably his involvement in barracks and dormitory projects,” the source said, adding Chen’s wife was a general manager of a building materials company.