On May 22, a coal mine in Liushen Canyon, Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province experienced the most serious mining accident in 17 years, with at least 82 people confirmed dead. Following the investigation into Zhao Yongjin, the Secretary of the Qinyuan County Party Committee, three responsible personnel from the county’s emergency management system have also come under scrutiny. However, the public is not convinced, pointing fingers at the authorities for prioritizing personal interests over public safety and urging for a thorough investigation at all levels of governance – provincial, municipal, and county, leaving no wrongdoer unpunished.
On June 7, the “Changzhi Clean Governance” WeChat public account reported that Sun Xiaoye, the Party Secretary, Director, and Commander of the Comprehensive Law Enforcement Team of Emergency Management Bureau in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, is suspected of severe disciplinary violations and is currently undergoing disciplinary scrutiny and supervision investigation by the Jiwei Committee of Shangdang District in Changzhi City.
Yue Xiaodong, a member of the Party Committee and Deputy Commander of the Comprehensive Law Enforcement Team of Emergency Management Bureau in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City (responsible for daily operations), is also suspected of severe violations of discipline and law and is currently under investigation by the County Discipline Inspection Commission.
Zhang Qian, the Commander of the Law Enforcement Team of the Comprehensive Administrative Enforcement Team for Emergency Management in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, is facing allegations of severe disciplinary violations and is currently undergoing disciplinary scrutiny and supervision investigation by the Disciplinary Inspection Commission of Huguan County.
In response, many citizens have taken to social media to demand accountability, calling for a comprehensive investigation at all levels of governance – provincial, municipal, and county – without sparing any wrongdoer. “From department level to section level…” “No investigation until incidents happen. Once it does, only then these ‘section chiefs’ are shown to the public.” “Prioritizing self-interest over public safety.” “Continue strict oversight.” “As of now: Zhao Yongjin, the Secretary of the Qinyuan County Party Committee, is the highest-ranking official—county department level.”
On June 2, the Communist Party of China Shanxi Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision announced that Zhao Yongjin, the Secretary of the Qinyuan County Party Committee in Changzhi City, is under investigation.
At the time, there were criticisms from the public regarding the Communist Party’s scapegoating of Zhao Yongjin. User “Satoh Koji” commented, “So Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign is a joke! If it weren’t for the coal mine gas explosion incident, this county secretary would have a smooth career, but now Zhao Yongjin from Qinyuan County has been thrown out to take the blame, ensuring Tang Dengjie and Lu Dongliang’s safety.”
Li Lin, a Chinese affairs expert familiar with the inner workings of the Communist Party, noted that China’s frequent mining accidents and other major incidents have systemic reasons. Firstly, the Party controls enterprises, and these businesses prioritize Communist Party’s political needs over everything else, leading to formalism and a lack of genuine concern for workers’ lives, resulting in many institutional neglect; secondly, in the aftermath of accidents, there is a concerted effort from top to bottom to cover up and conceal facts, avoiding implicating high-ranking officials as much as possible, which makes the cost of official misconduct too low – also because they are not elected officials.
On May 22 this year, a serious gas explosion occurred at the Tongzhou Group coal mine in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, resulting in at least 82 deaths.