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Subscribe to RSSBEIJING — The rise of new Chinese leader Xi Jinping last November has not been good for mainland officials caught with their pants down.
In recent months, a slew of low-level Communist officials as well as a few high ranking ones —most notably the vice party chief of the southwestern province of Sichuan, Li Chuncheng — have been exposed by local media and dismissed from their positions after their sexual peccadilloes came to light.
The latest senior official to be toppled due to a sex scandal, Yi Junqing, was a vice minister in charge of China Central Committee’s Central Compilation and Translation Bureau.
His dismissal was announced Thursday in a one-sentence statement by Chinese state media, which simply noted he had been "removed from post for 'improper lifestyle.'"
The terse release by the state-run Xinhua news service belied the expansive and often lurid claims that have flooded the Web about Yi’s sexual trysts. Yi was seemingly exposed by his alleged mistress, Chang Yan, who posted a 120,000 Chinese character essay online detailing the sex, money and gifts exchanged over many months.
Though many of the affair’s particulars read like the cliché-ridden narratives familiar to many Chinese who have followed the adventures of officials over the years, this case is unique in that it shows the lengths to which many in China go to secure coveted ministry jobs, and the economic and social security that comes with those jobs.
Chang, 35, a married native of China’s Shanxi province, was a visiting post-doctorate student at the Translation Bureau and had aspirations of landing a job there once her studies were completed.
Earning employment at the bureau’s Beijing office — and thus the proper permits needed to bring her husband from Shanxi to live and work in Beijing —would require the authorization of Yi, who ran the bureau.
According to Chang’s account, the price for that approval turned out to be steep, both morally and financially.
"I was trying to figure out what he wants, money or me," Chang wrote in one excerpt translated by the U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper. "There is no free lunch if I wanted to work for the bureau. I knew there was a price to pay to work for the bureau. I had already paid 10,000 yuan [USD$1,600]. He said he would take two months to get me the job and then he would invite me."
Besides giving in and becoming Yi’s mistress, Chang writes that she paid $10,000 in total to Yi to secure this government position. Yi’s failure to deliver on that job led Chang to post details of the sordid affair on her private blog, she said.
That someone would sleep with a potential boss or even pay for a position is of no surprise in China, but to have it written about so openly sparked an uproar online.
Despite censors erasing the story on Chinese websites, news of the essay soon spread on the Web.
On China’s Twitter-like service, Weibo, the affair became a hot topic Friday.
A post by Chang on her blog — where the original entry was quickly erased — seemed to suggest that the story had been written as a piece of fiction.
"In my spare time I put together a work of fiction," Chang wrote on her blog entry. "I suffered serious depression... and regularly sank into a state of delusion and even fantasy."
Weibo users overwhelmingly dismissed the confession as forced and condemned Yi for his corruption.
"Rumor has again proven to be truth," wrote one user.
"If we got rid of officials like Yi who had these types of affairs, we’d have to eliminate 99.9 percent of them!" declared another.
Regardless of whether her story is true or not, Yi’s dismissal Thursday shows the lengths to which China’s ruling Communist Party appears willing to go in order to maintain its legitimacy and supremacy.
More news from China from NBC News' Behind the Wall
NBC News' Le Li contributed to this report.
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Can America be far behind?
What is the point of all that power if you can't bang hot chicks? Just look at Bill Clinton...Oh, sorry, BAD example. :)
Rontron:
I think many American politicians have long adopted the “quid pro quo” form of governance as a perk they are entitled to. Why do you think most run for office? Why do you think they want ever bigger government? Why do you think they impose an ever increasing web of suffocating regulations? Why do you think they are determined to maintain tax loopholes for compliant CEOs and wealthy benefactors to exploit? Why do you think most politicians at the federal level enter politics poor and retire rich?
One can only wonder what those Obama “green Energy” bundlers had to give up for him to provide billions of dollars worth tax payer guaranteed loans. One can only wonder how worse it will become before Americans wake up.
Oh come on.. how is this story different from the Petraeus-related messes...? Sex, affairs, influence peddling, career advancement in exchange for influence peddling, more sex... It's always about sex. And money.
wang chun...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_jQ1Uqf-oU
I wonder if "jesse" counciled him like he did clinton. Oh, that's right, ol hipocrit jesse has an illegitimate child of his own!!! LOL LOL LOL
Rontron, they got it from America! I am sure you keep up with the news! But remember some of us have been taught Biblical standards and morals. In China, God is forbidden, so they have no standards or morals.
E K, that is very nearly the dumbest thing I have ever heard. They do have moral standards here, just not ones revolved around the threat of going to heaven or hell. Some people don't need that kind of fringe extremist threat to live right.
But then how can you even look down your nose at China when you live in a country full of faux-Christians who are only holy inside the church house on Sunday but covet their neighbors wife, lie cheat and steal when it suits them during the rest of the week no different than you see happening here, in this story. Seriously.
And God isn't forbidden here. Trolling people to convert to your religion or go to hell for all eternity is.
They have different religious foundations and values here.. probably dozens considering how many scant minority groups there are besides the majority.. but I guess those don't count because they're not what you believe....
Actually, the U.S. is way ahead. We elect Senators who play footsy in the john.
These Chinese officials aren't sorry for what they're doing. They're just sorry they got caught. I'm sure there are others who have managed to cover up their sleazy after hours lives successfully. It's the same in any country, but the Chinese must have thought nobody would catch them.
We begin life coming out of one and spend much of life trying to get back in. Human nature really...
India is far more advanced than China and America. Not too long ago a highly influential spokes person for the ruling Congress party was video taped getting sexual favors including B'job from a lawyer who was seeking an extra push from him for appointment as a judge in one of the High Courts. The beauty of the India's Kama Sutra politics is such that at some future point in time he will be rehabilitated to a higher position than he had held at the time of his sexual gymnastics in his office.
Wonder if Yi's first name is Newt or Mark?
No it's William (Bill for short).
If SEX isn't lurid then it isn't sex..
Many supposed leaders in this country and others play the "do as I say, and not as I do" game. Pathetic really when you think about it. The lying, cheating, unethical @!$%#s do as they want and nothing is really done to them. Presidents who get BJ's, have affairs, congress and senators same.. Yet they hold the military and their employees (if they arent banging them) to higher standards.. Zero respect for them. I would have more respect for someone who was honest. If the man could balance the budget, or pass policy that actually worked who cares if he has an affair.. as long as its not pedo, rape, or underage.. Many who preach the hardest about morality and virtues are the biggest abuser lol
You did not read the article carefully. This was blatant outright demanding sexual favors of subordinates or potential subordinates. This is sexual abuse, sexual harassment and definitely a form of sexual coercion, therefore rape. It is inexcusable and unconscionable! And yes, it DOES happen here and all too frequently and it needs to be eradicated here, as well.
What a crumb. He forces her to have sex with him and then makes her pay for employment. He would make a great US Senator (D).
Hmmm, I'd watch the labeling - you can put plenty of (R)'s after the word Senator, too!
Payment for a position is common here.
Ya, Gov, Blago got caught. And from the Chicago Sun Times,,,
Inmate #16627-424 is going home. Well, almost. Sneed has learned former Gov. George Ryan, who has spent a little more than five years in federal prison on corruption charges, is scheduled to be released on Jan. 30 and sent to a halfway house on Chicago’s West Side
Of course it's common here. The Asians in particular are more than willing to participate in and encourage the practice of buying a job. How do you think so many of them got their jobs in Vegas? Because they speak the English language so well???!?!? Because of their bubbly personalities?? Because they can fill out an employment application? Maybe it's because there aren't enough native born US citizens to fill those positions and we need to import people? You only get one guess.
Never interview someone with the last name of Tang.
Or Wang. . .
wang dang sweet pune...
Years ago I read the book
THE PRIVATE LIFE OF CHAIRMAN MAO written by his private medical doctor after Mao died, and the doctor
immigrated to the U.S. It was the most disturbing, disgusting and memorable book I have read. And not in
a good way. The sexual practices of a deviate man. Of course there was much more to the book, but his
sick practices still haunt me. So this bit of information coming out of China now is in no way a surprise.
It seems to be common in Asia for women to be used. Why we have given so much of our country to them
is appalling to me.
China ousted a sexually charged politician but the US kept Clinton around. I guess that tells you about the morals of the two countries.
This story is more Petraeus than Clinton.
Good. Now if they get a bunch of tort lawyers in their system, they can be just like us.
Chinese politicals are obviously too new at this game. Bill Clinton still as popular as ever. Need say more?
Except what Bill Clinton did is not even in the same ballpark as these people.
The Chinese really need to play catch-up. Our politicians and power brokers are tech savvy. Remember the sex-ting New York Democrat Anthony Wiener?
What even with the Chinese???? They really are trying to copy the U.S. aren't they.
Now this is not jobs moved off shore by the US Government...the Presidents and Congress take care of this type of work personally...I imagine Bill Clinton was glad it wasn't his turn back in the sexual scandal spotlight...
We need courageous women like her all over the world.
Clinton had the stain, and Obama loves himself. There is a name for that, but it escapes me at the moment. But I have to ask. Isn't that an affair within itself?
Narcissism. See how great and wonderful I am for knowing that.
Indeed, you are.
Could you explain that for us, with specific examples, and in direct contrast to GOP presidents?
Nah, didn't think so.
I know a billionaires daughter who's lonely and seeking he could've hooked up with.
I applaud this woman. She refused to be stomped down by her sick, decrepit and morally obscene government. Cheers to her, and all like her.
Either that, or she's just the Chinese Broadwell.
Them thar little furry things can sure get you in trouble, no matter what nationality! But, oh goodness, is it good or what!!!
I have a feeling our politicians are ahead of the Chinese in this area!
What about the females ( or males ) looking for favors, power, prestige or even sugar daddy's that lead them on & get even after the official has moved on? No one forces either to say yes. The rich & powerful have always took advantage of people they deem beneath their social status & it will continue until long after we're all gone & they will deny it each time.