The Chinese Ministry of Public Security late on Wednesday said that it would conduct further investigations into its own senior ranks after a decision to prosecute former Interpol president Meng Hongwei (孟宏偉), 64, and warned that disloyalty to the Chinese Communist Party would not be tolerated.
China had announced earlier on Wednesday that an investigation had found Meng spent “lavish” amounts of state funds, abused his power and refused to follow party decisions, and that he had been expelled from the party and sacked as deputy public security minister.
In October last year, Interpol, the global police coordination agency based in France, said Meng had resigned as its president, days after his wife reported him missing after he traveled back to China.
In a statement late on Wednesday following an internal meeting, the ministry said that Meng was “totally to blame” for the decision to expel him from the party and sack him.
“When it comes to party loyalty and sincerity, it is absolutely not allowed to be duplicitous, to agree overtly, but oppose in secret, or to be a two-face person, or lead a double life, or engage in political social climbing,” it said.
“It is absolutely not allowed to make decisions without authorization, to do or say as you wish,” it said.
While the statement gave no details, the party’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), has increasingly been focused on those it judges are disloyal to the party or question the decision of the top leadership.
China has persistently denied its war on graft is about political maneuvering or Xi taking down his enemies.
Xi told an audience in Seattle, Washington, in 2015 that the anti-graft fight was no House of Cards-style power play, in a reference to the Netflix US political drama.
The ministry said there needed to be a “thorough rooting out of Meng Hongwei’s pernicious influence,” and that there would be further probes on others.
“For those in leadership positions in the Public Security Ministry connected with Meng Hongwei’s case, no matter how high or low, no matter who is involved, no matter their position, all must be seriously handled in accordance with the law and discipline,” it said.
The government announced its plans to prosecute Meng after Xi returned from a state visit to France, where French President Emmanuel Macron raised the issue of human rights in China and certain specific cases, a French presidency official said.
It has not been possible to reach Meng for comment since he was detained, and unclear if he has been allowed a lawyer.
Meng’s wife, Grace Meng (高歌) French television on Sunday that she had written to Macron ahead of Xi’s visit seeking his help protecting their “fundamental human rights.”
Meng is certain to be found guilty when his case eventually comes to trial as the courts are controlled by the party and would not challenge its accusations.
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