Song Liang (Chinese: 宋亮; pinyin: Sòng Liàng; born December 1963) is a former Chinese politician who spent most of his career in north China's Inner Mongolia. As of February 2021 he was under investigation by Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Previously he served as the Executive Vice Governor of Gansu. Song was the second leader of provincial-ministerial level to be targeted in 2021, after Li Wenxi, former vice chairman of the Liaoning Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.[1]
Song Liang | |
|---|---|
宋亮 | |
| Executive Vice Governor of Gansu | |
| In office June 2018 – 1 February 2021 | |
| Governor | Tang Renjian Ren Zhenhe |
| Preceded by | Huang Qiang |
| Succeeded by | Shi Moujun |
| Communist Party Secretary of Tongliao | |
| In office November 2016 – March 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Luo Yonggang |
| Succeeded by | Li Jiexiang |
| Communist Party Secretary of Wuhai | |
| In office November 2015 – November 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Hou Fengqi |
| Succeeded by | Shi Wanjun |
| Head of the Department of Transportation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region | |
| In office May 2014 – November 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Jiang Wei |
| Succeeded by | Lian Su |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 1963 (age 60) Shangdu County, Inner Mongolia, China |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party (1990–2021; expelled) |
| Alma mater | Inner Mongolia University Nankai University |
Early life and education
editSong was born in Shangdu County, Inner Mongolia, in December 1963. In September 1981, he was admitted to Inner Mongolia University, where he majored in plan statistics.[citation needed]
Career in Inner Mongolia
editAfter graduating in July 1985, he was dispatched to the Planning Committee of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region as an official. Nine years later, he was transferred to the General Office of the Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, where he eventually became its deputy director in June 2000. He concurrently held the deputy director of Financial Work Office in June 2003, rising to director in one year later. In August 2011, he was transferred to Chifeng, a prefecture-level city rich in mineral resources, and appointed Chinese Communist Party Deputy Committee Secretary. More than two years later, he was appointed head of the Department of Transportation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, concurrently holding the Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary position. In November 2005, he was transferred to Wuhai, which has an abundance of coal, and appointed CCP Committee Secretary. His predecessor, Hou Fengqi, was sacked for graft in the same month. In November 2016, he was transferred again to Tongliao and appointed party chief, and promoted to member of the standing committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the region's top authority.[2]
Career in Gansu
editIn March 2017, he rose to become vice governor of Gansu, an economically backward province in northwest China.[3] He was also a member of the standing committee of the Gansu Chinese Communist Party (CCP) committee, the province's top authority.[3] In June 2018, he was promoted again to become executive vice governor of Gansu, a position he held until January 2021.[4] As executive vice governor, he was responsible for forestry, grassland and natural resources.[1] He was involved in the massive deforestation of state owned Dunhuang Yangguan Forest Farm (敦煌阳关林场) or cases of cutting down thriving forests for grape planting, which made headlines nationwide for the severe damage caused to the Protection Forest in northwest China.[1][5][6]
Downfall
editOn February 1, 2021, he was put under investigation for alleged "serious violations of discipline and laws" by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the CCP's internal disciplinary body, and the National Supervisory Commission, the highest anti-corruption agency of China.[7] On August 15, he was expelled from the CCP and dismissed from public office.[8] On October 7, he was indicted on suspicion of accepting bribes.[9][10]
On August 30, 2022, he was sentenced by the Intermediate People's Court of Leshan to life in prison on charges of taking bribes, he was also deprived of his political rights for life, and ordered by the court to have all his personal assets confiscated and turn over all illicit gains and their interests to the state.[11] He took advantage of his former positions in Inner Mongolia and Gansu between 2000 and 2020 to assist others in the establishment of village banks, obtaining loans, job adjustment, business operations and other matters, in return, he illegally accepted cash, equity and real estate worth approximately 79.68 million yuan (11.6 million U.S. dollars) in total.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c 新年第二虎宋亮：前一天仍登党报头版 曾助包商银行扩张. sina (in Chinese). 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ Xu Yuanyuan (许媛媛) (30 November 2016). 宋亮任内蒙古通辽市委书记，罗永纲不再担任 [Song Liang is appointed party chief of Tongliao, replacing Luo Yonggang]. thepaper.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ a b 甘肃新任省委常委宋亮兼任甘肃副省长，高志凌任省文化厅厅长 [Song Liang appoints member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Governor of Gansu]. thepaper.cn (in Chinese). 30 March 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ Zhuang Yu (庄彧) (20 June 2018). 宋亮任甘肃省常务副省长 前任黄强已转任河南省常务副省长(简历) [Song Liang appoints executive vice governor of Gansu]. ce.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ Linda Lew (24 January 2021). "Chinese environmentalists up in arms over forest destroyed to make way for vineyards". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ Ma Jingna; Li Hongyang (26 January 2021). "No massive deforestation on forest farm in NW China's Gansu: Report". Chinadaily. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Executive vice governor of China's Gansu Province under investigation". xinhuanet.com. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ Feng Hu (冯虎) (16 August 2021). 利用职权搞利益交换捞取政治资本，甘肃省原省委常委、常务副省长宋亮被双开. ce.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Former Vice Provincial Governor Faces Trial for Bribery". caixinglobal.com. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
- ^ "Former provincial official indicted for bribery". China Daily. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Former provincial official given life sentence for bribery". xinhuanet.com. 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.