Chen Guoqiang (Chinese: 陈国强; born May 1962) is a former Chinese politician who spent his entire career in northwest China's Shaanxi province. He was removed from office on 29 March 2019. Previously he served as the vice-governor of Shaanxi, where he headed the province's land and resources, environmental protection, housing, urban and rural construction, and transportation.[1][2]

Chen Guoqiang
陈国强
Vice-Governor of Shaanxi
In office
January 2018 – March 2019
GovernorLiu Guozhong
Secretary-General of Shaanxi
In office
February 2013 – March 2018
Preceded byQin Zheng
Succeeded byFang Weifeng
Personal details
BornMay 1962 (age 62)
Suzhou, Anhui, China
Political partyChinese Communist Party (expelled; 1986-2020)
Alma materXi'an University of Finance and Economics
Central Party School of the Chinese Communist Party
West Virginia University
Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinChén Guóqiáng

Biography

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Chen was born in Suzhou, Anhui in May 1962. After the Resumption of College Entrance Examination, he entered Xi'an Basic University in September 1981, majoring in machine building at the Mechanical Department, where he graduated in July 1984. He entered politics in July 1984, and joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in June 1986. He also studied at the CCP Central Party School, West Virginia University and Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business as a part-time student. After university, he was assigned to the Shaanxi Provincial Government, where he assumed various posts there. In November 2010 he became the deputy secretary-general, rising to secretary-general in February 2013. He concurrently served as president of Shanxi Vocational Technology College of Economic Management.

Investigation

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In January 2018 he was elevated to vice-governor of Shaanxi, a position he held until March 2019, when he was removed from office.[3] As vice-governor, he focused on land and resources, environmental protection, housing, urban and rural construction, and transportation.[2] During his short term, he was involved in the "billions of mineral rights case" (Chinese: 千亿矿权案件).[2] Two months ago, his fellow townsman and superior Zhao Zhengyong has been placed under investigation as CCP general secretary Xi Jinping's continues a campaign against corruption at all levels of government.[2] He is called Zhao Yongzheng's steward by the Chinese media.[4]

On January 4, 2020, he has been expelled from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and dismissed from public office.[5] His qualification for delegate to the 13th CPC Shaanxi Provincial Congress was terminated.[5] And his case will be transferred to the procuratorate for further investigation and prosecution.[5] He was detained on January 8. On June 10, 2020, he stood trial for graft at the First Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin.[6] He was charged of taking advantage of his various positions in Shaanxi between 2006 and 2018 to seek profits for various companies and individuals in project contracting, obtaining loans and personnel promotion and recruitment and then accepted bribes of more than 35.66 million yuan (about 5 million U.S. dollars) in return personally or through his family members.[6] On September 15, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for accepting bribes by the First Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin.[7] He was fined 3 million yuan (over $439,000).[7] He said he accepted the sentence and would not appeal.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Frank Tang (4 January 2020). "'Disloyal and two-faced' Chinese provincial boss accused of ignoring Xi Jinping's orders facing prosecution". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d “赵正永大管家” 陕西副省长陈国强传被扣查. zaobao.com (in Chinese). 21 January 2019.
  3. ^ 陈国强被免去陕西副省长职务 辞去省人大代表职务. 163.com (in Chinese). 29 March 2019.
  4. ^ 最新!陕西一副省长被“带离”. yzwb.net (in Chinese). 18 January 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "Two former senior Shaanxi officials expelled from CPC". Chinadaily. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Former vice governor of Shaanxi Province stands trial for graft". xinhuanet. 10 June 2020. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Xinhua (15 September 2020). "Former Shaanxi vice governor sentenced to 13 years in jail for accepting bribes". Chinadaily. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
Government offices
Preceded by
Qin Zheng
Secretary-General of Shaanxi
2013–2018
Succeeded by