Anhui University professor Fang Hengcai was suspected of being retaliated against by the local government for reporting the occupation of basic farmland by photovoltaic panels, and his issue of school funding from ten years ago was brought up, charging him with fraud. Fang Hengcai, who is blind, is currently detained in a detention center in Chaohu City.
According to a report by “民生觀察” (Citizen Watch), retired teacher from Chaohu College in Anhui Province, Fang Hengcai and his wife Liu Taohua were accused of fraud in running a school. The trial was scheduled for October 14, 2024, and the prosecutors suggested further investigation. The trial was postponed by Chaohu City Court to December 4.
Sources revealed to Dajiyuan that Fang Hengcai owned a private school in Chaohu, specializing in vocational education and training. The government provided financial subsidies for each graduate over ten years ago. Fang Hengcai’s descent into an unjust imprisonment is believed to be linked to his report on the local photovoltaic project, angering certain individuals.
In November 26, 2019, Linyang New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. in Hanshan County, Ma’anshan City, Anhui Province, initiated the construction of a photovoltaic power station covering 2000 mu of farmland owned by farmers. The project has expanded to over ten thousand mu. Initially, it was claimed that the photovoltaic panels could be used for fishery breeding, but in reality, only chickens and ducks were raised. Subsequently, authorities stated that it was causing environmental pollution, rendering the land unusable for farming.
The Chinese Communist Party has consistently emphasized food security and the protection of arable land. Yet, photovoltaic panels occupying basic farmland have not only been reported in Anhui but also in Hubei, Shaanxi, and other regions, resulting in the abandonment of fertile lands.
In 2021, a documentary titled “Photovoltaic Panels on Paddy Fields: How Did Farmers’ ‘Life-Saving Fields’ Become Power Stations?” was aired on CCTV Finance, detailing the conversion of 13,966 mu of rice paddies into solar farms by Ju Zi’s large investment in Hubei. However, the documentary was quickly taken down. It is rumored to be connected to the second generation of red elites’ businesses, leading CCTV to remain silent on the matter.
Recent reports from mainland media revealed that high-standard basic farmland projects costing 8.2917 million yuan in Muzi Township, Anlu City, and 29 million yuan in Huaxi Township, Xiaochang County were equipped with photovoltaic power stations.
For a period, mobilizers frequently visited villages to persuade residents to lease their land for photovoltaic projects, offering a meager rent of only 500 yuan per mu. Despite some villagers’ initial refusal, the mobilizers assured them of subsequent agricultural projects once the solar projects were completed, prompting villagers to eventually sign the lease agreements.
After the solar panels were installed, there was no progress in the agricultural planting promised. Additionally, the inverters required for solar power generation produced noise, disturbing the villagers as the devices were located in close proximity. Over time, this situation led to great distress among the villagers. “In the eyes of farmers, the fertile lands have long been wasted, and they can no longer feed their families or have enough to eat,” a farmer from Xiaochang, Hubei, commented.
Initially, Professor Fang Hengcai of Chaohu College in Anhui instructed his wife, Liu Taohua, to apply to the Ministry of Natural Resources for the public release of the “Permanent Basic Farmland Distribution Map of Hanshan County, Ma’anshan City, Anhui Province”. This map was to prove that the over ten thousand mu of rice paddies occupied by Linyang New Energy Company in Lintou Town, Hanshan County, were part of the permanent basic farmland area.
Subsequently, Liu Taohua filed a report with the Hanshan County Public Security Bureau to investigate the individuals responsible for damaging over ten thousand mu of permanent basic farmland by Linyang New Energy Company. She also requested the Hanshan County Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning to fulfill their legal obligations, investigate the individuals responsible for damaging over ten thousand mu of permanent basic farmland and restore agricultural production in the rice paddies.
In April of this year, the Hanshan County Public Security Bureau arrested Fang Hengcai and his wife, who were preparing to go to Beijing for medical treatment and reside there. During their detention, the couple endured mistreatment by the jailers, causing Fang Hengcai to suffer nearly complete blindness due to persecution.
Public records show that Fang Hengcai founded Tangshan High School privately in 2003 and established Wenyuan Vocational Training School in Chaohu City in 2007. In 2012, Fang Hengcai retired from Chaohu College due to illness and resigned from his position at Wenyuan Vocational School. Liu Taohua took over as principal and continued the national vocational training business. It was this business that judicial authorities accused of defrauding state vocational training subsidies using fictitious account books and student rosters. Between 2012 and 2015, a total of four transactions amounted to 2.05375 million yuan.
Fang’s son, Mr. Fang, recently told Dajiyuan journalists that initially, he was not aware of the case and believed his parents were guilty. However, after reviewing the evidence presented during the court proceedings, including feedback from lawyers, he discovered that the accusations were baseless. The prosecution also acknowledged the lack of clear facts and insufficient evidence, leading to a delay in the trial. His father wrote a letter from inside, suggesting that he was being framed, likely due to his report on the installation of photovoltaic panels.
Mr. Fang explained that his father was mandated by high-level leadership to return to his hometown to start a business, leading to his assignment as an economics teacher at Chaohu College. In 2003, he founded Tangshan High School, which grew in size. However, due to disagreements with some leaders from the Education Bureau, he was falsely accused of fraud and became a fugitive. After finding evidence to clear his name, he won the lawsuit but subsequently developed depression. He retired completely from Chaohu College and took to resting at home.
His mother, Liu Taohua, took over the school and founded Wenyuan Vocational Training School, providing training for laid-off workers, displaced farmers, and corporate employees, serving as a positive direction for society. Due to the demolition of their residence in their hometown of Hanshan County, she offended some leaders through her petition in 2021. Unexpectedly, local police initiated an investigation, leading to their arrest.
Initially sentenced to one year and six months for provocation and causing disturbances, Liu Taohua was detained at the Hefei Women’s Detention Center. She is now facing fraud charges. The case went to trial on October 14 at the Chaohu City Court in Anhui Province, with Mr. Fang attending as a family member.
“My father was visibly agitated in court, extremely thin, and my mother was also distressed. He strongly criticized the inhumane treatment they received inside, including beatings and inadequate food. He is visually impaired, suffering from retinal detachment in 2021, followed by cataracts and glaucoma, making his detention unnecessary. He can’t escape, and he needs assistance just to walk normally. We’ve been requesting bail during the police and prosecution stages, but they’ve consistently rejected our requests,” Mr. Fang stated.
“Later, I learned that he had offended some high-level officials who had been using various means against him. It was said that the director of the Tongling Municipal Organization Department, who was previously the Secretary of the County Party Committee in our hometown (Hanshan), Tian Xin, was primarily responsible for framing him. The main reason was likely related to the report on the occupation of thousands of mu of national farmland for photovoltaic power generation,” Mr. Fang revealed.
Photovoltaic projects have been a priority in Anhui Province in recent years. According to official information from the Hanshan County government’s website, Anhui Energy Group’s Zhang Feifei visited Hanshan County in February 2017 to inspect the ongoing photovoltaic projects and met with the deputy mayor of Ma’anshan City, the Secretary of the Hanshan County Party Committee, and the County Governor Tian Xin amongst other leaders.
Public records reveal that Anhui Energy Group Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Jiangsu Linyang Energy Co., Ltd., encompassing comprehensive cooperation in new energy, energy storage, photovoltaic operations, and carbon assets custody. Linyang New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. in Hanshan County is a subsidiary of Jiangsu Linyang Energy Co., Ltd.
Mr. Fang disclosed that when the police accused their training institution of impropriety, they used his sister-in-law, Wang Yun’s testimony as a breakthrough, interrogating her for seven to eight hours continuously. The police provided her with a document at the scene for her to make accusations according to its content. The judge was also surprised by this, questioning why the police dared to provide such materials in court. Wang Yun admitted during the trial that the police had given her the materials. Based on this document, the police arrested individuals.
“The pretext was that between 2012 and 2015, their school was misrepresenting the number of trainees and illegally misappropriating state skill subsidies. From the evidence presented by the prosecutor and the police, out of the thousands of trainees, they only found data for slightly over a hundred people. Although these individuals claimed they had received training, they were unsure which school or organization had conducted the training.”
“Several teachers and staff appeared in court to testify that training was indeed provided. However, during the trial, the witnesses changed their testimonies compared to what they had previously stated, leading the prosecutor and the court to decide on a trial adjournment.”
The reporter could not independently verify the case. Fang Hengcai and Liu Taohua remain steadfast in their belief that they are innocent, with their lawyer advocating for their innocence.
Mr. Fang mentioned that he consulted several lawyers, all of whom maintained their innocence. Currently, their bank accounts and assets across various locations have been frozen, making life extremely difficult. He feels that there are various artificial factors at play in Anhui, with political influences being predominant. However, he is determined not to let his parents suffer unjustly.