'Truly heartbroken': Grief of Wanting Qu, girlfriend of Vancouver's mayor, over mother's corruption arrest in China
Pop star's partner, Mayor Gregor Robertson, says 'mystery' detention of Qu Zhang Mingjie in Harbin has been 'very tough'
Wanting Qu, the pop star girlfriend of Vancouver’s mayor, has released a statement saying she is “truly heartbroken” over the arrest of her mother for corruption in China.
Mayor Gregor Robertson has also broken his silence on the detention of Qu Zhang Mingjie, telling reporters the situation was “very tough”.
Zhang, a former Harbin city official and a longtime bureau-level cadre, is being detained on suspicion of corruption, the state-run China Daily reported on Thursday. The report said Zhang had been fired as deputy director of Harbin’s development and reform commission in September 2014. Two months later, she was relieved of other duties related to urban construction and renewal in the northern city.
“I love my mom dearly and I am truly heartbroken,” Wanting Qu wrote in a Facebook message to her fans on Friday. “This ordeal is very stressful and I find myself in [sic] crying over it daily. I appreciate the love and support from my friends, my fans and my family. I will use your strength to get through these tough times.”
Qu also posted a black-and-white photo of herself as a young child hugging her mother.
The China Daily report, which came after months of speculation about Zhang’s fate, quoted “insider” sources as saying she was suspected as having been involved in the sell-off of state assets at fire-sale prices. Harbin’s city government announced Zhang’s dismissal on November 3.