Guangzhou Party chief with links to Macau falls from grace

Former Guangzhou Party chief Wan Qingliang, who helped initiate talks on cooperation between Macau and Guangdong province with a particular focus on Hengqin Island, has been removed from his public post, according to the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Xinhua reported.
According to Xinhua, investigations show that Wan sought profits for others by taking advantage of his high post, demanding and accepting huge bribes. He would also regularly attend events at high-end private clubs, which opposes the CPC’s eight-point rules against extravagance and graft.
A statement said that Wan “seriously” violated the Communist Party discipline and laws, whereas his bribe-taking activities serve as a suspected criminal act.
Talks on cooperation between the Guangdong province and Macau were further developed while Edmund Ho was serving his first terms as Chief Executive in 2008. Although Ho and the then- governor of Guangdong province Huang Huahua headed respective delegations, it was the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam, and the then-vice-governor of the Guangdong province, Wan Qingliang, who were commissioned to make a final overview of results on cooperation works, the local press reported at the time.
At first, the development project planned for Hengqin Island was being discussed by Guangdong and Macau. Edmund Ho first stressed that developing Hengqin Island would imply cooperation with the neighboring region’s authorities, but later Guangdong officials would state that they were going to develop Hengqin autonomously.
At the time, Wan told reporters that the “big plan” for Hengqin was given approval from the Central Government. Although Macau was left out from the project’s plan, Wan Qingliang stressed at the time that when preparing the project, Guangdong took into account the Macau government’s opinions. There were accounts of divergent opinions of the governments of Guangdong and Macau on how to develop Hengqin, but at the time Wan Qingliang chose not comment further on the matter.
The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) has opened an investigation on Wan Qingliang, who was also an alternate member of the 18th CPC Central Committee and a former standing committee member of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee. The decision has been deliberated by the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau and based on disciplinary rules for Party members and government officials.
This month the Supreme People’s Procuratorate announced that it will investigate Wan for taking bribes, adding that the top procuratorate has taken “compulsory measures” against him. These may include issuing a warrant to compel a suspect to appear, bail pending trial, and residential surveillance.
Chinese president Xi Jinping began a nationwide crackdown on corruption and on lavish spending last year. According to an article published on the website CaixinOnline, Wan was a political star in Guangdong, having served in several political related posts. He is the first provincial-level official to be probed in Guangdong.