Former Chinese Security Official Expelled from the Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party has accused Lijun of serious violation of party discipline and national laws (Wikimedia Commons).
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) expelled former vice-minister of public security Sun Lijun on September 30 for “serious violations of party discipline and national laws,” according to the Chinese Ministry of Public Security. “The ‘malignant tumor’ of the party was eliminated,” announced the Chinese Ministry of Public Security.
According to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), China’s central anti-graft body, Sun “harboured hugely inflated political ambitions and was of extremely bad political quality.”
The CCDI listed seven charges against Sun: displaying poor political integrity, forming gangs for personal objectives, leaking classified information regarding COVID-19, countering CCDI’s investigations, violating the Eight-point Regulation, paying for sex, and possessing illegal property. Of the seven, the heaviest charge against Sun is the disclosure of confidential government intelligence. Sun is accused of providing Australia with classified information, including sensitive documents from a Wuhan-based virus lab that recorded Wuhan’s death toll during the initial COVID-19 outbreak.
Chinese Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi approved the CCDI’s “wise, accurate, timely, and adequate” resolution: “[The Commission] displayed its determination to eradicate corruption with a zero tolerance policy.”
Prior to his dismissal, Sun served as the deputy head of the Ministry of Public Security. In 2019, he responded to the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement as the director of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office.
Critics in Beijing speculate that Sun’s removal is a part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign, launched before the 20th National Congress of the CCP. Critics also say that public security officials with considerable political influence pose a threat to Jinping.
Sun is not the only official to have been expelled from the Chinese Communist Party. In 2018, former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for accepting approximately 14.4 million yuan ($2.1 million) in bribes. Fu Zhenghua, a former justice minister, is currently under investigation for a “serious violation of discipline and laws,” according to a CCDI statement released on October 2.
Chinese Vice-Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong is predicted to take Sun’s place. With the 20th National Congress set for 2022, Jinping’s crackdown on corruption is expected to continue.