Jiang Weiping
Encyclopedia
Jiang Weiping is a veteran mainland Chinese journalist known internationally for his arrest by the Communist Party of China
in 2001. During his career, he received several awards from local and provincial governments for his journalism and reporting. In 1999, he began publishing a series of articles about the Communist Party corruption in the Hong Kong
magazine Frontline . He was subsequently arrested by the Chinese authorities, and sent to 8 years in prison.
in the 1980s. From the early 1990s he was the Northeastern China bureau chief of the pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po
newspaper in Hong Kong
.
In 1999 Jiang began writing a series of articles about the corruption of the Communist party for the Hong Kong
magazine Frontline. By 2001 Jiang was a reporter working in mainland China for the Hong Kong magazine.
s and inciting the subversion
of state power under the Dalian
Intermediate People’s Court
on January 21, 2002. He was given a combined sentence of 8 years and deprivation of political rights for 5 years. Jiang immediately filed an appeal.
On December 26, 2002, the Liaoning Province Higher People's Court
heard the appeal. He was still determined guilty, and the sentencing were reduced to 6 years and deprivation of political rights for 3 years.
Jiang spent 6 years in prison before being released on the 5th year. The sentence was shortened again to expire on January 3, 2007. According to PEN Canada, journalists around the world overwhelmingly voiced their support for Jiang and his principled journalistic work.
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
in 2001. During his career, he received several awards from local and provincial governments for his journalism and reporting. In 1999, he began publishing a series of articles about the Communist Party corruption in the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
magazine Frontline . He was subsequently arrested by the Chinese authorities, and sent to 8 years in prison.
Career
Jiang was a reporter for Xinhua News AgencyXinhua News Agency
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
in the 1980s. From the early 1990s he was the Northeastern China bureau chief of the pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po
Wen Wei Po
Wen Wei Po is a Hong Kong-based Chinese language newspaper, which was first established in Shanghai in January 1938; its Hong Kong version was launched on 9 September 1948....
newspaper in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
In 1999 Jiang began writing a series of articles about the corruption of the Communist party for the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
magazine Frontline. By 2001 Jiang was a reporter working in mainland China for the Hong Kong magazine.
The reports
- ShenyangShenyangShenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
vice Mayor Ma Xiangdong lost nearly 30 million yuanRenminbiThe Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...
(US $United States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
3.6 million) in public funds while gambling in MacauMacauMacau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
casinos.
- DaqingDaqingDaqing is a prefecture-level city in the west of Heilongjiang province of Northeast China. The name literally means "Great Celebration".Its population is 2,904,532 at the 2010 census whom 1,042,902 in the built up area made of 4 out of 5 urban districts It was founded in 1959 to house workers...
vice mayor Qian Dihua was also exposed to have illegally obtaining funds to buy cars and houses for each of his 29 mistresses.
- Former governor of LiaoningLiaoning' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
governor Bo XilaiBo XilaiBo Xilai is the Communist Party of China Chongqing Committee Secretary, first-in-charge of the Western interior municipality and a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China...
was reported to have covered up some political corruptionPolitical corruptionPolitical corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
.
The reported
- Ma Xiangdong was later arrested and accused of taking bribes, embezzling public funds, and gambling overseas, as part of the PRC governmentGovernment of the People's Republic of ChinaAll power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...
's anti-corruption campaign. He was convicted and executed in December 2000.
- Bo XilaiBo XilaiBo Xilai is the Communist Party of China Chongqing Committee Secretary, first-in-charge of the Western interior municipality and a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China...
later became the PRC trade minister, and in 2007 he aggressively defended Chinese toy products containing lead that were exported to the United States.
The reporter
Jiang was detained on January 4, 2001 and subsequently convicted of illegally supplying State secretState Secret
State Secret is a 1950 British drama film directed by Sidney Gilliat and starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Jack Hawkins, Glynis Johns and Herbert Lom. It was released in the United States under the title The Great Manhunt.-Cast:...
s and inciting the subversion
Subversion (politics)
Subversion refers to an attempt to transform the established social order, its structures of power, authority, and hierarchy; examples of such structures include the State. In this context, a "subversive" is sometimes called a "traitor" with respect to the government in-power. A subversive is...
of state power under the Dalian
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
Intermediate People’s Court
Intermediate people's court
An intermediate people's court is the second lowest local people's court in the People's Republic of China. According to the Organic Law of the People's Courts of the People's Republic of China, the intermediate people's courts handle relevant important local cases in the first instance and hear...
on January 21, 2002. He was given a combined sentence of 8 years and deprivation of political rights for 5 years. Jiang immediately filed an appeal.
On December 26, 2002, the Liaoning Province Higher People's Court
High people's court
A High people's court or Higher people's court is the highest local court in the People's Republic of China and reports to the people's congresses at provincial level....
heard the appeal. He was still determined guilty, and the sentencing were reduced to 6 years and deprivation of political rights for 3 years.
Jiang spent 6 years in prison before being released on the 5th year. The sentence was shortened again to expire on January 3, 2007. According to PEN Canada, journalists around the world overwhelmingly voiced their support for Jiang and his principled journalistic work.
Awards
- Jiang was awarded a CPJ International Press Freedom Award in 2001 by the Committee to Protect JournalistsCommittee to Protect JournalistsThe Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
. - He was also awarded the "One humanity award" in 2006 by PEN Canada, which included a C$Canadian dollarThe Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
5000 cash prize.
External links
- "Activist: China Releases Jailed Journalist" (ReutersReutersReuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
) accessed January 3, 2006 - Press freedom group welcomes release - IFEXInternational Freedom of Expression ExchangeThe International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....