Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Learn from selfless Xi, Chinese TV says in graft documentary

Published 10/18/2016, 09:56 PM
Updated 10/18/2016, 10:00 PM
Learn from selfless Xi, Chinese TV says in graft documentary

Learn from selfless Xi, Chinese TV says in graft documentary

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese officials should take a lesson from the selflessness of President Xi Jinping in not living extravagant lifestyles or separating themselves from the people, Chinese state television said in the latest episode of an anti-corruption documentary.

Xi has waged a sweeping war on deep-seated graft since assuming power almost four years ago, vowing to go after powerful "tigers" as well as lowly "flies", warning the problem is so bad it could affect the Communist Party's grip on power.

In the second episode of the eight-party warts-and-all show "Always on the road", shown late on Tuesday, Xi's simple life and close connection to ordinary people are contrasted with the high living and arrogance of the corrupt.

When Xi visited the southern province of Guangdong in late 2012, shortly after becoming party chief, no red carpets were laid out, no roads shut for his convoy and no luxury vehicles used, the show said.

"He stayed in a simple room, had buffet-style meals. All the details were self-evident of the practices he preaches," it added, calling his actions a "model" for the party's rules against extravagance and corruption.

It also showed the small, unadorned room he stayed in while visiting the northern province of Hebei in 2012.

"He ate very simply," it said of the meals he had while there, and showed him interacting with poor farmers in their homes.

In contrast, the program presented the former party boss of the southern metropolis of Guangzhou, Wan Qingliang, jailed for life last month for corruption, as a model of what not to do.

Wan had a love of banquets, at which he was wined and dined by corporate types looking for a helping hand, and even went so far as to shut off his favorite restaurant in a scenic spot to the public, which has now been re-opened, the show said.

"When I was with them, they picked up the bill. Of course there are lots of companies present, and I thought they'd handle it, that it was nothing," Wan told the program.

"I thought this was what everyone did, and I just went with the flow."

The program interviewed a group of old people at the restaurant Wan was so fond of, who talked approvingly of how they were now able to get back in.

It was not possible to confirm if Wan participated willingly in the program, or to reach family members or lawyers for comment.

However, the party views contrition and confession favorably, and officials have avoided death sentences if they are judged to have shown remorse or cooperated.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.