Mistresses Enlisted in the Fight Against Corruption

[Bangkoktraveler]

Wall Street Journal

June 26, 2008

 

In the south China manufacturing city of Dongguan, the lovers of corrupt officials have become a very useful tool in graft investigations.

 

â??At least 80 percent of corrupt officials exposed in Dongguan had mistresses who gave us important information that we did not possess,â? Zhou Yuefeng, deputy director of the Dongguan anti-graft bureau, told the China Daily, without providing details of specific cases.

 

Chinese leaders constantly worry about the potential for government corruption to undermine the Communist Partyâ??s rule in China, and last week they announced a broad five-year anti-corruption plan. Many corrupt officials use illegally gained funds to set up apartments and lavish gifts on other women, known as â??second wives.â? Last year, the central government sought to crack down on officialsâ?? mistresses after a series of embarrassing scandals involving the sex lives of senior officials, and new rules were issued that makes keeping a mistress a firable offense for public servants.

 

Mistresses who suddenly lose their financial support when their lovers are arrested may find themselves in vulnerable positions, though authorities seem willing to help out in turn.

 

â??We welcome tip-offs and we will protect and reward informers,â? Zhou said.

 

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[Faustian]

Nice.