Former high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official Du Wen, who is currently in exile overseas, recently accused the authorities in Inner Mongolia of unlawfully seizing 101 silver coins belonging to his father-in-law. He called out to the CCP leader Xi Jinping, demanding the authorities return these assets. Du Wen previously served as a legal advisor to figures in Inner Mongolia such as Hu Chunhua and Yang Jing, revealing insights into the inner workings of the officialdom in Inner Mongolia prior to Hu Chunhua taking office.
Du Wen, a former director of the Institute of Constitutional Law and Sociology in Inner Mongolia, introduced himself online as a senior researcher and a political prisoner of the Chinese Communist Party who was imprisoned for 12 years and 8 months. He had served as the executive director of the Legal Advisory Office for the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region government and had been a legal advisor to figures like Yang Jing, Batel, and Hu Chunhua.
On April 29, currently residing in Belgium, Du Wen posted an open letter and video addressed to the CCP leader Xi Jinping on an online platform. In the video, Du Wen and his wife appeared, expressing their grievances and calling for justice from the CCP authorities. Du Wen stated, “I am Du Wen, former director of the Legal Advisory Office for the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region government. I am Wang Weihua, a primary school teacher in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. We are unable to bear the persecution by the CCP authorities, which has forced us into exile in Europe. We are presenting this video with deep sorrow and anger… we hope you (Xi) can see it.”
In May 2010, Du Wen was sentenced to 12 years and 8 months in prison for involvement in a case related to opposing the government’s seizure of Catholic Church properties and bribery at the provincial government level. This case implicated former high-ranking officials in Inner Mongolia such as Zhu Mingguo, Zhao Liping, and Wu Zhizhong, as well as sensitive institutions and individuals like the Ministry of Public Security and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Du Wen was released from prison on January 4th last year after serving his full sentence due to his refusal to admit guilt and lack of any reduction in sentence. By the end of 2023, he had disclosed to Epoch Times instances of torture and maltreatment of prisoners at the Hohhot prison.
In the video addressed to Xi Jinping, Du Wen stated, “You are aware of the details of Du Wen’s case. We know that the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has reported to you. If you still cannot remember, please go to your bookshelf and look at the book on Du Wen’s case.”
In the same video, Du Wen’s wife, Wang Weihua, revealed that her father, Wang Shuanzhu, passed away suddenly on April 28. His final regret was not being able to reclaim the 101 silver coins confiscated by the authorities. These coins were the only mementos left by Wang Weihua’s grandfather for her father. Despite a decision by the relevant department on November 29, 2012, to return the coins after it was found that some had been exchanged, Wang Shuanzhu refused to accept them due to this discrepancy.
“For years, my father had been requesting the Saihan Sub-bureau to return the coins based on the photos and videos taken during the confiscation,” Wang Weihua said. This desire remained unfulfilled even after her father’s passing.
She continued, “As close relatives, we wish to fulfill my father’s final wish and do not want to be entangled in this matter any longer. We plan to hold the funeral on April 30, and we request that the items be returned to us on the 29th so we can bring them to my father’s side and allow him to leave this world peacefully. We are currently unable to return to Europe, and our designated lawyer can receive the items on our behalf.”
Du Wen urged, “Please understand our feelings and the wishes of the deceased. We hope the CCP authorities can respond promptly, granting my father-in-law the respect and peace he deserves. We hope you will not continue to make things difficult for us.”
On April 29, independent commentator Cai Shenkun revealed on the platform X that the silver coins had been returned, providing solace to the deceased.
However, according to a report by Radio Free Asia on April 30, shortly after Du Wen issued the open letter, the Hohhot Public Security Bureau called to request the deletion of the video. Subsequently, they demanded the return of the confiscated coins but found that some had been exchanged. The head of the Saihan District Public Security Bureau personally explained that there were around 70 genuine coins, while over 30 coins required further authentication.
During his tenure as the executive director of the Legal Advisory Office for the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region government, Du Wen had served as a legal advisor to figures such as Yang Jing, Batel, and Hu Chunhua. Hu Chunhua had held positions like Secretary of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress from 2009 to 2012.
On April 24 this year, Du Wen disclosed on X that months before Hu Chunhua arrived in Inner Mongolia, the atmosphere in the local officialdom was quite peculiar. There were continuous controversies surrounding the former Secretary, including conflicts with the Deputy Secretary, Yue Fuhong. Despite facing challenges, he not only managed to stay put but also extended his service beyond the typical age limit. Various rumors circulated about him, such as corruption, bribery, and arrests. Some said he had influential backing from figures like Zeng Qinghong and Liu Yunshan, providing him protection.
Du Wen recalled that at the time, 17 officials at the Inner Mongolia provincial level were serving past their retirement ages without new leadership appointments or retirement arrangements. This situation arose from the arrival of a new Minister of Organization in Inner Mongolia a year prior, bringing directives from the central authorities and freezing all significant personnel appointments to prepare for the incoming Secretary. The secrecy around this leadership change was meticulously maintained, and no one knew the details.
On the afternoon of November 30, 2009, Du Wen saw an internal communication revealing Hu Chunhua’s appointment as the Secretary of Inner Mongolia through a senior inspector. At the time, several sources had gathered information about Hu Chunhua, sharing positive evaluations of his capabilities and achievements. 中共前黨魁胡錦濤指定的隔代接班人, 隨著團派的李克強、汪洋、胡春華全部出局，以及胡錦濤被強行架離二十大會場, 團派被指遭習近平「團滅」。