On June 20th, in Liuzhou, Guangxi, two former secretaries of the municipal party committee, Zheng Junkang and Wu Wei, were reported by the authorities. These two officials had carried out large-scale “achievement projects” during their tenure, leading to the accumulation of hidden debts in Liuzhou exceeding 17.695 billion yuan.
According to official reports, Zheng Junkang had engaged in “achievement projects” during his time in office; illegally accepted gifts and kickbacks, engaged in power and money exchanges, abused his position for personal gain in project contracting, and illegally accepted large sums of money; and abused his authority, among other violations.
Zheng Junkang was expelled from the Communist Party, had his retirement benefits canceled according to regulations, and his illegally obtained gains were confiscated. He was also referred to the procuratorial authorities for investigation and prosecution for suspected crimes.
Wu Wei was expelled from the Communist Party and dismissed from public office. His qualifications as a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a delegate to the 12th Party Congress of the Autonomous Region, and a delegate to the 13th Party Congress of Liuzhou City were revoked. His illegally obtained gains were confiscated as well, and he was also referred to the procuratorial authorities for investigation and prosecution for suspected crimes.
According to reports from the “Daily Economic News,” Zheng Junkang had been deeply involved in local affairs in Liuzhou for a long time, serving as the secretary of the municipal party committee for 8 years and as the mayor for 5 years. This disciplinary action occurred less than two years before his retirement.
Public records show that Zheng Junkang, born in October 1959 in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, joined the Communist Party in 1988. He had long worked in Liuzhou, serving as the district head of Liunan District, the secretary of Yufeng District Committee, and the executive deputy mayor of Liuzhou. In January 2008, he was appointed the deputy secretary of the Liuzhou Municipal Party Committee, later becoming the mayor and then the secretary of the municipal party committee in January 2013.
According to reports from Lu Net, shortly after Zheng Junkang took over as the district head of Liunan District, there was a reshuffle in the leadership. Liu Zhibing, known for his understanding of the “black art” and his ability to build relationships, was appointed as the secretary of the municipal party committee. Liu Zhibing not only engaged in rampant corruption but also formed a small clique, monopolized decision-making, and suppressed any officials he deemed disloyal. Liu Zhibing was later transferred to the position of vice chairman of the Guangxi Autonomous Region in 1998 and was arrested in 2001.
During Zheng Junkang’s tenure as the secretary of the municipal party committee, the then mayor of Liuzhou, Xiao Wensun, died by falling into a river on November 4, 2015. Xiao Wensun’s sudden death by drowning raised many questions and puzzled the public.
According to the “Southern Metropolis Daily,” Xiao Wensun’s secretary, Sun Deqiang, also fell into the water with him, but Sun Deqiang’s whereabouts were unknown. The authorities did not disclose more details, nor did they officially report that Xiao Wensun was under investigation. It was also reported that Zheng Junkang personally directed the rescue efforts at the scene.
In February 2021, Zheng Junkang retired from his position as the secretary of the Liuzhou Municipal Party Committee. In January of this year, Zheng Junkang was reported by the authorities for investigation.
Meanwhile, Wu Wei, who succeeded Zheng Junkang as the secretary of the Liuzhou Municipal Party Committee, was “taken down” last year.
Wu Wei, born in September 1968 in Puning City, Guangdong Province, joined the Communist Party in 1993. Wu Wei had long worked in Nanning, serving as the secretary general of the Nanning Municipal Party Committee and the executive deputy mayor. In September 2015, Wu Wei was appointed as the deputy secretary of the Liuzhou Municipal Party Committee, and a few months later, he took over as the mayor of Liuzhou following the drowning death of Xiao Wensun. In February 2021, Wu Wei was appointed as the secretary of the Liuzhou Municipal Party Committee, until he was reported for investigation in November 2023.
It is worth mentioning that Zheng Junkang and Wu Wei, who once worked together in Liuzhou, had been held accountable for hidden debt issues in the past. According to official reports, the Liuzhou municipal government required state-owned enterprises to provide funding for projects that should have been arranged for in the Communist Party’s financial budget, leading to the accumulation of hidden debts. From 2018 to the end of June 2021, Liuzhou accumulated approximately 17.695 billion yuan in hidden debt.