A former Chinese central bank governor reportedly under investigation by the nation’s anti-graft agency has made what is believed to be his first public appearance in 18 months. Dai Xianglong, 72, appeared on Hebei Television meeting Hebei Communist Party chief Zhao Kezhi and governor Zhang Qingwei in Shijiazhuang on Monday, The Beijing News reported on Saturday. Dai’s last interview was with a central bank-owned newspaper in April 2015. It came after Bloomberg reported that the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection was investigating whether Dai used his official positions to enrich his family. The report said the CCDI was looking at whether Dai had used his influence, or passed on inside information, to benefit his relatives, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter. But it added that Dai had not been accused of wrongdoing. ‘Unsupervised power is very dangerous’: China’s top graft-buster warns Communist Party’s 80 million members to toe the line His son-in-law, Che Feng, was also reportedly under investigation in June last year and Dai disappeared from the public eye until last week. We will sum up the experience of Hebei and give some suggestions, making it as an example for similar work throughout the nation Dai Xianglong, former PBOC chief In last week’s meeting in Hebei, Dai focused on overcapacity and debt issues in the province’s steel industry, according to The Beijing News . “The government and party committee of Hebei made plans early for the national strategy to reduce overcapacity. They have acted quickly and the result is satisfactory,” he was quoted as saying. “We will sum up the experience of Hebei and give some suggestions, making it as an example for similar work throughout the nation.” Dai was referred to as vice-director of the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges, a position he has had since stepping down as mayor of Tianjin. Dai Xianglong to run social security fund This institution is affiliated with the National Development and Reform Commission and headed by former vice-premier Zeng Peiyan. Dai served as the governor of the People’s Bank of China from 1995 to 2002 before becoming Tianjin’s mayor for five years. He was chairman of the National Council for Social Security Fund from 2008 until he retired in 2013. Dai became a deputy director of the appropriation office of the Jiangsu branch of Agricultural Bank of China in 1979. From 1985 to 1995, he was the bank’s vice-governor, general manager and vice-president, and party chief of Bank of Communications.
