Former Vice Governor of Jiangxi Province and former Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Hu Qiang has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for accepting bribes totaling more than 65.17 million yuan (RMB). Hu Qiang was investigated in February last year and became the first “tiger” to fall after the beginning of the Year of the Dragon.
On September 23, the Intermediate People’s Court of Longyan City, Fujian Province, publicly sentenced Hu Qiang, former member of the CPPCC in Jiangxi Province and Vice Chairman, for accepting bribes. Hu Qiang was found guilty of taking bribes and sentenced to 13 years in prison, with a fine of 3 million yuan.
The court stated that from 2003 to 2023, Hu Qiang took advantage of his positions as Deputy Director and Director of the Finance Department of Jiangxi Province, as well as Vice Governor of the province, to help others in business operations, job promotions, or adjustments by illegally accepting money and valuables from relevant individuals, totaling over 65.17 million yuan.
On February 21 last year, Hu Qiang was officially investigated, becoming the first “tiger” to fall in the Year of the Dragon, and also the eighth high-ranking official to fall since 2024. In August, he was expelled from the Communist Party of China, deprived of his benefits, and transferred to judicial authorities. In December, he was formally charged, and the first trial was held on April 25 this year.
Born in March 1962 in Zaoyang, Hebei Province, Hu Qiang had a long career in the Finance Department of Jiangxi Province. He served as the Director of the department in September 2010, was promoted to Vice Governor of Jiangxi Province in January 2018, and became the Vice Chairman of the CPPCC in January 2022, before stepping down in January 2023.
During his tenure in the Finance Department of Jiangxi Province, Hu Qiang was embroiled in controversy over the extravagant lifestyle of “Prince Zhou”.
In July 2022, an employee named Zhou Jie of the Jiangxi State-Owned Capital Operation Holdings Group Co., Ltd. flaunted his wealth on social media, claiming that Vice Governor Hu had given him a rare and expensive cigarette. After Zhou Jie’s remarks drew public attention, the company issued a statement denying his claims.