Video shows some still believe their money can control power

A gavel in a court. [Photo/IC]

A scene from the UK documentary Joanna Lumley's Trans-Siberian Adventure, in which a Chinese woman said she could clear the roads of cars and people in a district of Harbin in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, has created a stir online. Beijing News commented:

The woman's words have shocked millions of people and become a hot topic on domestic social media networks. People are shocked, not only by the fact that a woman claimed she could clear the roads, but because she also clearly took pride in being able to say that.

That distorted value not only belongs to the woman shown in the documentary, but also other wealthy people. Not only do some of the newly rich people in China like to display their associations with power, some of them also harbor the illusion that they can control power with the fortune in their hand.

Their distorted mindset has much to do with the way they obtain their fortunes. It is an undeniable fact that some of the newly rich people in China made their money in an immoral way, and they believe their past mode of grabbing money with power can continue. However, that is no longer the case with the anti-corruption campaign going on, as well as advancing the rule of law.

The woman in the video might never have expected she could be so well-known all over the country. With the popularity of the video, some people have claimed to have traced her family background.

Her father is said to be a businessman, the so-called richest person in the Acheng district of Harbin city. Some online posts even pointed out that her father did clear roads in the district when celebrating his birthday in September 2011.

These details have not been confirmed by the authorities yet, but at least they offer some clues. It is time the authorities intervened and found out whether her family were involved in illegal dealings. It is no longer her personal affair, but a national one.