Information on new arrests of dissidents in Guangzhou could not be found in the sources usually consulted by the IRBDC. However, the attached News Release from Amnesty International alleges that illegal and arbitrary detention is widespread in China (26 Sept. 1991).

An anti-corruption campaign has been taking place in China since the pro-democracy demonstrations in 1989 "to counter the criticism after the military crushed the protests" (AFP 30 July 1991). A selection of articles on bribery and corruption among public officials and party cadres is attached.

On 15 August 1991, the former Public Security Bureau Chief of Yingde County in Guangdong was sentenced to death for embezzlement, taking bribes and "possession of an enormous amount of property from unknown sources" (People's Radio Network 15 Aug. 1991). A report of 20 August 1991 states that nearly 17,000 party and government officials throughout China (Guangzhou is not specifically mentioned) had been punished over the past six months for malpractice, abuse of power, and violation of the law and party principles (China Daily 20 Aug. 1991).

In September 1991, a naval lieutenant-commander in Guangzhou was arrested for accepting bribes (Ming Pao 6 Sept. 1991). Reports also state that 56,000 corruption and bribery cases were handled in the first eight months of 1991 (Zhongguo Xinwen She 25 Sept. 1991; Xinhua 25 Sept. 1991). Much of this success was due to the 170,000 tips from the public, "60 percent [of which] were provided by people who voluntarily revealed their identity" (Xinhua 9 Nov. 1991).

While instances of corruption (other than those above) are not specifically mentioned for Guangzhou, Guangdong Province carried out an extensive anti-embezzlement campaign which resulted in more than 1900 cases involving approximately 1200 cadres at various levels (People's Radio Network 27 Nov. 1991). The Guangdong provincial and Chinese national procuratorial organs jointly sponsored an anti-corruption exhibition in Guangzhou which was visited by more than 300,000 people, some of whom reported corruption cases before leaving the exhibition (Xinhua 8 Dec. 1991).

References

Agence France Presse (AFP) [Hong Kong, in English]. 30 July 1991. Four Sentenced in Beijing Anticorruption Drive." (FBIS-CHI-91-148 1 August 1991, p.69)

Amnesty International. 26 September 1991. China: Hundreds of Thousands Unjustly Held Under Unfair Detention System. (AI Index: ASA 17/56/91). Ottawa: Amnesty International Canadian Section (English-Speaking). China Daily [Beijing in English]. 20 August 1991. "Ministry Issues Details of Cadre Corruption." (FBIS-CHI-91-163 22 August 1991, pp. 27-28)

Ming Pao [Hong Kong in Chinese]. 6 September 1991. "Guangzhou Naval Officer Accused of Taking Bribes." (FBIS-CHI-91-176 11 September 1991, pp. 31-32)

People's Radio Network [Guangzhou Guangdong in Mandarin]. 15 August 1991. "Guangdong Public Security Bureau Chief Sentenced." (FBIS-CHI-91-159 16 August 1991, p. 41)

People's Radio Network [Guangzhou Guangdong in Mandarin]. 27 November 1991. "Guangdong Uncovers Embezzlement, Bribery Cases." (FBIS-CHI-91-233 4 December 1991, p. 54)

Xinhua [Beijing Domestic Service in Chinese]. 25 September 1991. "Anticorruption Measures Described." (FBIS-CHI-91-187 26 September 1991, p. 20)

Xinhua [Beijing in English]. 17 October 1991. "Daily Reports on Campaign Against Corruption." (FBIS-CHI-91-207 25 October 1991, p. 26)

Xinhua [Beijing in English]. 9 November 1991. "Procuratorate Reports Public Informants Increasing." (FBIS-CHI-91-219 13 November 1991, pp. 29-30)

Xinhua [Beijing Hong Kong Service in Chinese]. 8 December 1991. "Guangzhou Anticorruption Exhibition Closes." (FBIS-CHI-91-241 16 December 1991, pp. 45-46)

Zhongguo Xinwen She [Beijing in English]. 25 September 1991. "Officials Investigated for Accepting Bribes." (FBIS-CHI-91-187 26 September 1991, pp. 19-20)

Attachments

Agence France Presse (AFP) [Hong Kong, in English]. 30 July 1991. Four Sentenced in Beijing Anticorruption Drive." (FBIS-CHI-91-148 1 August 1991, p.69)

Amnesty International. 26 September 1991. China: Hundreds of Thousands Unjustly Held Under Unfair Detention System. (AI Index: ASA 17/56/91). Ottawa: Amnesty International Canadian Section (English-Speaking).

China Daily [Beijing in English]. 20 August 1991. "Ministry Issues Details of Cadre Corruption." (FBIS-CHI-91-163 22 August 1991, pp. 27-28)

Ming Pao [Hong Kong in Chinese]. 6 September 1991. "Guangzhou Naval Officer Accused of Taking Bribes." (FBIS-CHI-91-176 11 September 1991, pp. 31-32)

People's Radio Network [Guangzhou Guangdong in Mandarin]. 15 August 1991. "Guangdong Public Security Bureau Chief Sentenced." (FBIS-CHI-91-159 16 August 1991, p. 41)

People's Radio Network [Guangzhou Guangdong in Mandarin]. 27 November 1991. "Guangdong Uncovers Embezzlement, Bribery Cases." (FBIS-CHI-91-233 4 December 1991, p. 54)

Xinhua [Beijing Domestic Service in Chinese]. 25 September 1991. "Anticorruption Measures Described." (FBIS-CHI-91-187 26 September 1991, p. 20)

Xinhua [Beijing in English]. 17 October 1991. "Daily Reports on Campaign Against Corruption." (FBIS-CHI-91-207 25 October 1991, p. 26)

Xinhua [Beijing in English]. 9 November 1991. "Procuratorate Reports Public Informants Increasing." (FBIS-CHI-91-219 13 November 1991, pp. 29-30)

Xinhua [Beijing Hong Kong Service in Chinese]. 8 December 1991. "Guangzhou Anticorruption Exhibition Closes." (FBIS-CHI-91-241 16 December 1991, pp. 45-46)

Zhongguo Xinwen She [Beijing in English]. 25 September 1991. "Officials Investigated for Accepting Bribes." (FBIS-CHI-91-187 26 September 1991, pp. 19-20)