Corrupt city Party chiefs a local curse

Qiu He, deputy head of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, is investigated. [Photo/IC]

Less than eight months after being promoted from a neighboring city, Gao Jinsong, Party chief of Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, was sacked and placed under investigation on Friday for seriously violating Party disciplines and the law. Two of his predecessors Qiu He, who was the Party chief in Kunming from 2007 to 2011, and Zhang Tianxin, who was the head from 2011 to 2014, were also investigated for corruption this year. Comments:

Two problematic predecessors do not mean the seat is safe for the third. The heads of local authorities must behave themselves to set a good example for those they lead. All three of the Kunming Party chiefs have close connections with former provincial Party chief Bai Enpei in Yunnan (who was sacked and investigated for graft last year). They have been ruined by the clique that they thought would protect them.

People's Daily, Apr 11

A new promotion does not guarantee the safety of corrupt officials. The only thing they can do to protect themselves from the anti-graft investigations is to be a clean and responsible civil servant for the people.

Mao Yunkai, a guest commentator with Hubei Daily, Apr 11.

It was easy to catch the three city Party chiefs. But it is difficult to measure and compensate for the losses and suffering they have caused local residents over nearly 10 years. The public has silently paid for these corrupt officials' misdeeds.

Duan Xiujian, a commentator for Beijing Youth Daily, Apr 11