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In China, there are fake cigarettes, fake alcohol, fake medicines, fake baby formula, and even fake officials. In 2013, there was a case of a fake official at the ministerial level in China, and he was personally exposed by the State Council of China.
However, this “fake official at the ministerial level” not only did not seek personal gain, but also demonstrated strong business acumen, receiving genuine praise wherever he went.
Today, let’s take a look at the story of this fake “ministerial-level” official.
According to a report titled “The Tale of a Fake Envoy Becoming a ‘Talent'”, Zhao Xiyong first appeared in front of local Communist officials in Hunan and Yunnan in 2010.
In March 2010, Zhao Xiyong, as a “researcher at the State Council Development Research Center”, attended the signing ceremony between Hunan Jinhua Vehicle Company and Beijing Hongji Wanguo Automobile Co., Ltd. with several local officials in Hunan.
This was the first documented appearance of Zhao Xiyong as a researcher at the State Council Development Research Center.
Zhao Xiyong became a VIP in Loudi. The Loudi Municipal Government appointed him as a member of the “First Government Major Administrative Decision-Making Expert Consultation Committee” in the city, and the Loudi Economic and Technological Development Zone also hired him as an “economic consultant”.
In April of that year, Zhao Xiyong presented a report titled “Seizing Opportunities, Adjusting Structures, Changing Methods, and Accelerating Development” as an economic consultant for the Loudi Economic Development Zone.
In October, the “China Green Diesel Engine Industry Development Forum” was held at Tongji University, with Zhao Xiyong delivering a speech titled “The Practical Significance of Dieselization of Passenger Cars in China” as a “State Council Office Director-level Inspector”.
In November, according to the Kunming Daily, Zhao Xiyong attended the “2012 ‘Harvest Autumn’ Investment Kunming Annual Meeting” as the “Director of the State Council Policy Research Office”. The Kunming Municipal Party Secretary and several Communist officials also attended this annual meeting, where Zhao Xiyong revealed that “Yunnan Province’s 2012-2020 Bridgehead Planning has been officially approved by the State Council”.
In April 2012, Zhao Xiyong attended an industry conference in Kunming and got to know the top management of Yunnan Inner Power, a key listed company in Kunming, and was employed as a development consultant for Yunnan Inner Power.
In November, at the invitation of Yunnan Inner Power, Zhao Xiyong attended the “2012 Harvest Autumn” Investment Kunming Conference hosted by the Kunming Municipal Committee and Municipal Government. The Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee, the Secretary of the Kunming Municipal Party Committee, and the Mayor of Kunming at that time also attended the meeting.
In January 2013, Zhao Xiyong attended the signing ceremony between Kunming University of Science and Technology and two companies, with the school leaders and a deputy director from the Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Department present at the event.
From late February to early March 2013, Zhao Xiyong led an expert group to conduct research in Yuxi City, including Tonghai County and Chengjiang County, to “diagnose” the economic and social development strategy of Yuxi.
A company that hired Zhao Xiyong as a member of the expert team, the “Qingda Vision Planning Design Research Institute,” introduced him on its website as an “Economic PhD, professor, researcher, Director of the State Council Office. Engaged in in-depth research and practical guidance on national development strategies, strategic emerging industries, regional economy, industrial economy, service economy, etc., for a long time”.
However, on March 8th, a document from the State Council Office suddenly arrived, informing the Yunnan Provincial Government that “my unit does not have a person named Zhao Xiyong, nor has organized any so-called expert group to conduct surveys in Yunnan.” The document also requested the Yunnan Provincial Government to “notify relevant regions and departments within the province to take timely measures to stop and expose Zhao Xiyong’s fraudulent behavior.”
This document from the State Council left many who had interacted with Zhao Xiyong in shock, as they did not see him as a fraud, given his knowledge and connections, which were considered superior to many ordinary Communist officials.
An official from the Loudi Economic and Technological Development Zone in Loudi City said that in April 2010, Zhao Xiyong, as an “economic consultant” for the development zone, gave a presentation at the Development Zone Party Committee’s expanded learning session titled “Seizing Opportunities, Adjusting Structures, Changing Methods, and Accelerating Development.”
After listening to the presentation, the Development Zone staff member said the report had an “academic flavor” and that Zhao Xiyong spoke convincingly, particularly in combining national macro policies with the specific situation of the Loudi Development Zone, especially in the analysis of the automotive industry.
The staff member even expressed admiration for Zhao Xiyong after the presentation, believing that “it is rare to see officials like Zhao Xiyong who understand academia.”
Despite Zhao Xiyong’s false identity, the projects he brought were real and had been operating well for several years.
The project established in Loudi, Hunan was for the production of special vehicles and automobile chassis. The official stated, “Zhao Xiyong played a vital role in this project.”
The Director of the Loudi City’s Foreign Propaganda Office also mentioned that Zhao Xiyong indeed had a deep understanding of the automotive industry and “he genuinely helped and promoted the automotive project in our development zone.”
Many people who had interacted with him mentioned that it seemed like Zhao Xiyong’s motives were not driven by monetary gain.
A worker at the Loudi City Human Resources Bureau’s Expert Services Center said that when Zhao Xiyong served as an economic consultant in the Economic and Technological Development Zone, he did not receive any remuneration or salary.
The Director of the Loudi City Foreign Propaganda Office also stated, “He did not swindle much money in Loudi.”
Recalling his interactions with Zhao Xiyong, employees from Yunnan Inner Power, a major state-owned enterprise in Kunming, mentioned that this “director” in his fifties or sixties, who spoke Mandarin, would visit for two to three days at a time, and his understanding of the automotive industry impressed everyone at Inner Power.
The staff at Yunnan Inner Power remembered how Zhao Xiyong, despite the title of “Director of the State Council Office,” remained remarkably low-key, arriving alone in Yunnan without any entourage. Before his visit, he would personally contact the office manager at Inner Power or call the person in charge of the fleet to arrange a vehicle to pick him up at the airport.
Yunnan Inner Power assigned an employee of the company as the secretary of the “Beijing Director Zhao” when he visited Kunming.
An employee of this state-owned enterprise told the media that as a “Deputy Minister-level Inspector,” Zhao Xiyong was very low-key.
He said, “Zhao Xiyong told us that as a leader, he didn’t want to draw attention and just wanted to do something substantial before retiring. Being too conspicuous is not good, so we treated him normally.”
Shortly after the State Council Office issued the document, Yunnan Inner Power reported Zhao Xiyong to the Kunming Public Security Bureau. A special task force was set up by the Public Security Bureau in Kunming. Several days later, Zhao Xiyong was apprehended in Yingkou City, Liaoning Province.
So why did he impersonate a Director-level official? His lawyer explained that Zhao Xiyong did it mainly due to feeling unappreciated. He had taken a civil service exam once but failed to pass. Believing in his abilities, he thought he was knowledgeable and capable enough to be a leader, which he believed was necessary and hence discovered the opportunity to impersonate one, leading to a situation spiraling out of control.
Zhao Xiyong hopes for understanding and leniency from society.
But who is Zhao Xiyong really?
It may be hard to believe, considering his successful business ventures and substantial wealth. Impersonating an official might have been his way of striving for his ideals.
People who knew him in his early years described him as an honest person with a strong sense of responsibility and ambition, someone who did things diligently and systematically, step by step. He was the top student in his elementary school class, even during the Cultural Revolution, he continued his studies as usual.
Both of his parents were common individuals, so all his achievements were due to his own efforts.
In the 1990s, he served as a factory manager at a spring factory in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, before being employed by Jinbei Automobile Company as the factory manager of their spring manufacturing division.
A cadre from the spring factory recalled, “After becoming the factory manager, he abandoned the routine management style, introduced independent accounting in the production department, and made each department responsible for its own profits and losses, which greatly motivated the workers.”
People who had worked under him in the past commented on his strong capabilities, forward-thinking, and sense of justice. When Zhao Xiyong left his first factory, employees wept.
Zhao Xiyong’s career began in the spring industry. After becoming the factory manager of the Shenyang Spring Factory, he went on to establish three companies. Later, he ventured into founding his own companies.
Though some of his businesses folded, a few survived and were doing well. Through his years of business experience, he gained extensive knowledge of the automotive industry, earning admiration from local officials and business contacts in Hunan and Yunnan with whom he interacted.
As per the recollections of those who knew him, Zhao Xiyong relocated to Beijing from Shenyang in 2009. By then, he had various industries in Shenyang and a wholly-owned company managed by his son in his thirties, while his other ventures involved participating as an equity investor.
Thus, Zhao Xiyong truly did not lack money.
One acquaintance mentioned, “Zhao Xiyong doesn’t smoke or drink, and barely eats meat due to diabetes. He has plenty of money. What would he need to deceive for?” This acquaintance speculated that his impersonation as a researcher at the State Council might have been because he “wanted to utilize his talents in fields of his interest and make contributions.”
This speculation was confirmed by Zhao Xiyong’s wife.
In an interview with Liaoning media, his wife mentioned that Zhao Xiyong had years of experience in business management. Seeing some companies struggling to develop made him anxious. He genuinely wanted to help businesses grow, not for personal gain. She also emphasized that his actions as a fake official did not benefit their family financially.
In September 2013, Zhao Xiyong was transferred to the custody of the official Du District detention center in Kunming. Ultimately, Zhao Xiyong pleaded guilty, received a suspended sentence, and returned to Shenyang after the 2014 Chinese New Year.
This saga of the counterfeit senior official Zhao Xiyong concluded here.
Zhao Xiyong, who impersonated an official for his ideals, seemed to have realized his dreams. He provided counsel to businesses and brought forth well-functioning projects, broadening perspectives through speeches to local enterprises and officials.
Summing up the descriptions given by those who interacted with him: “articulated the situation well,” “especially adept at analyzing the automotive industry,” “played a crucial role in this project,” “few officials with academic knowledge like him”, low-key, humble, treated normally.
In the political landscape of the Communist Party of China, how many officials can garner such genuine and positive feedback?
That’s all for today’s program. Thank you for watching. Until next time.
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Produced by the “Century Truths” program team.