Sex Slave Story Questioned

Days ago a 'sex slave' story shocked the Chinese Internet, when reporter Ji Xuguang called for backup on micro-blog when he was investigating a thread of women jailed underground in Luoyang of Henan Province. Ji managed to smuggle out the city in a car driven by his brother in law, armed with a rusty knife. After he reached a safe place, he told the following story as he heard of:

An enforcement officer in the Luoyang Quality Monitoring Bureau, Li Hao, a Communist Party member, dug a rabbit hole under a residential building, where he lured and jailed six young women for sexual pleasure in a duration as long as two years. One of the sex slaves was able to alert the police when she was brought out on a nightly trip to a sexual client. Police captured Li and rescued four girls. Two girls had been killed on separate incident last year and a few months ago.

An representative of the Party Committee of Luoyang contacted reporter Ji, accusing him of 'leaking national secret'. Ji had to abruptly halted his investigation and fled with help of the online community.

After national media reported the story as told by reporter Ji, Luoyang Party Committee announced a decision to expel Officer Li from the Party.

While the Luoyang Party Committee asked people to move forward, some reporters are curious on which part of the story amounts to 'national secrets'. It is really a horrible case, but horrible cases are committed by individuals at anytime at very corners of the world. What made this case a particular 'national secret'?

Chen Zhengta, lawyer and law professor of the Shenzhen University, summarized some of the questions and posted in online:

1. The rabbit hole is actually a two room suite with bedding, furniture and kitchen, accessed from a tunnel with finished passages completed by stairs, hand rails, lightening, etc. This is unlikely a single person's night work without alerting neighbors in an apartment building. Many of the accommodation seems to be unnecessary for jail room. The building sits next to the local police station, within an apartment complex. How could six adult women live in hole for two years and still presentable (as Li took them out to sex clients)? What about water and sewer? How did he moved furniture into the suite?
2. The suite was equipped with Internet connection. And the girls were given laptops for entertainment. Why didn't they ask for help online?
3. Why didn't the slaves rebel? It's not too difficult to kill one master, with the housing items (cooking knife, computer wires, etc.).
4. The underground project was connected to room purchased by Li two years ago, but the slaves had also been there for 2 years. How fast can Li dig a 'hole' like that?
5. All four girls has been under detainment since they were 'rescued'. Would any of them be allowed to talk?
6. After the exposure of the case, Luoyang police combed through the city for sex trade. Is it an effort to silence potential persons with information?

With the information learned after the exposure of the case, a more convincing plot pointed to an underground prostitution camp run by the city officials, linked to sexual bribery. Li could not have done all of these by himself, and the girls might not be 'slaves', while those involved might be from much higher-up.

'That' might be the 'national secret' the Luoyang Party Committee tried to cover.

I Want Go To School!

"I want Go To School" was an official slogan of the 'Project Hope'. For over 20 years, schools were set up, and many children poor sponsored to go to school on private donations. If you are confused how come the No. 2 economic body in the world must rely on private donations for public education, you have to understand how the government income were allocated. Education and Health combined took less than 4% of the GDP. As a matter of fact, that's a clear violation to the education act passed many years ago, which mandates a 4% expenses on education. Even though China appeared a mighty military monster in neighbor's eyes, as a matter of fact, more money are spent in domestic suppression of human rights activists than on national defense. The bulk chuck of money goes to officials' cars, oversea trips and banquets.

A months ago, just days before the begin of the new semester, China's cities are driving migrant workers' children out of city limit in an coordinate op. In Beijing alone, 35 schools for low income migrant workers' children were shutdown and more than 14,000 children lost school. Reporters dug out an interview with Mr. Liu Limin, then Beijing Municipal Education Chief, now Deputy Minister of Education Department, who said in front of camera that people should not pay too much attention to low income children's need for school.

It is already a disgrace that the government not willing to spent a dime on citizen's education, but set up an official to collect private donations to build elementary schools. Amazingly, the government somehow deemed the education system in China was good enough, that they decided to use that money collected through 'Project Hope' to build schools in Africa. Believe it or not, most African countries had far better school system built than those in China. Google, Wikipedia and any data point to that. Perhaps building schools in Africa makes the communist regime look better, as the ruling class saw it. But, as people from Taiwan who questioned, how can we trust a government who does not treat its own citizen well, even when they try hard to kiss our ass?

A school age child was kneeing outside of a public school in Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu Province. He wanted to go to school like other kids. He used to go to a school set up by private organizations that attend to low income migrant workers. That school does not require a residency ID, does not charge high fees, reuse or let students share textbooks and stationaries. Now all those private schools were shut down. When probed by reporters, the government officials said they would allow these children go to public school if they satisfy 5 conditions, which were hoops and loops that had 'mission impossible' written all over them. Two weeks later, in Beijing, only a hand of children were able to collect all required documents, but when they gathered at the Education Bureau, they were told to walk away.

September 1 was the first day of school in China.

A Frugal Education

Five little ones were on a bed surrounded by coal powders piled higher than the bed. Some were playing; some were sleeping at home of Yuan Lihai of Lankao County in Henan Province. These children were deserted by their parents, many with disabilities or chronic diseases. Since 1987, Yuan has raised up more than 100 kids like them on his own.

While China is building schools in Africa, Europe and in the US, few outside the country knows the frugal education system inside China. The world average public education expenses is 5.1% of GNP. The figure is 5.3% in developed countries. The South-Sarhara countries average 4.6%. India 3.5%. The poorest countries 3.3%. China: 2.3%. From another angle, 20% population of the world live in China, while the education expenses is 1.5%.

520 Dogs Rescued on Highway

A truck carrying more than 500 dogs from Henan to Jilin was forced to pull over by people suspecting the source of these dogs. Although police vowed for the legitimacy of these goods, hundreds of animal lovers responded to the call to block the truck from leaving. After more than 15 hours of confrontation and negotiation, two animal welfare groups paid $18,000 to the truck owner and the dogs were sent to animal shelter for proper care.

Dog meat is a favorite dish in Jilin, a northeastern province adjacent to Korea.

While animal lovers celebrate the victory for these poor dogs, many still carrying their tags, the bold action was criticized by many as an unlawful riot that place the dog's right ahead of men's. The issue of concern is that there is no dog farm in China. The only possible source of these dogs could only be 1) stray dogs and 2) pets stolen from their home. The former implies hygiene problems, and the latter is illegal to start with.

The event also draw attention from security agencies on the energy and efficiency of animal rights groups.

$10,000 to Anyone Who takes my son

Father Zhang Jincai and mother Huang Meiling posed with their son Zhang Hongjie, and an enlarged check issued by China Merchants Bank.

The Henan family offers $10,000 in cash for anyone willing to adopt their eight years old son. The child is suffering from leukemia. The family had exhausted their resource to treat the boy, and hope someone can save Hongjie.

Hongjie was diagnosed with the disease in September 2008. The Zhang family had taken him to hospitals in Beijing and Tianjin. The family had used up their own savings and borrowed money of $30,000. Although their daughter had been found a match for marrow transplant, they do not have the money to perform the operation.

To save Hongjie's life, the family hope someone with money can adopt Hongjie. The family also will give $10,000 they borrowed to the medical cost.

Their postal address is: Henan Province, Kaifeng, Weishi County, Xingzhuang Xiang, Luguan Viliage, Group Five.

At this time, Zhang Hongjie is hospitalized in The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University.

"Home for Dinner!" Your Mother Said So

"Liu Xuezhou, Home For Dinner!", your mother said so. Millions of Chinese netizens use their unique way to express their anger towards the director of the Henan Provincial Health Department, Liu Xuezhou. Actually, it was pointed out that the decision was made at a higher level by the deputy governor of Henan, Mr. Song Xuantao.

Chinese Internet Mob stormed the official website of the Henan Health Department, and left messages asking the director to go home for dinner after the department censured the No. 1 hospital of Zhengzhou University for helping a farm worker in diagnose of his occupational disease. The doctor who performed the surgery was suspended for one year and the president of the hospital was fired.

Dr. Cheng Zhe was suspended for one year because she wrote the diagnose. When interviewed by news media, she asked, if I wrote I didn't find anything after the surgery, or put something else on the diagnose (the Health Department mandated to write T.B. in place of black lung), that would have crossed the bottom line of a medical practitioner.

A doctor who prefers not to reveal his identity argued that doctors had a moral responsibility and ethics obligation to inform the patient the disease.

The provincial Health Department of Henan stated only officially designated agencies were allowed to make such diagnose.

News media revealed that 53 more workers were diagnosed with black lung in a routine physical examination in 2007, but they were never notified. Henan Health Department's move was trying to silence the workers.

A Shangdong based newspaper suggested the Henan Health Department should have opened up its check to let people see whether its blood is still red.

An anonymous lawyer commented that the university hospital did not intend to challenge the official designated occupational disease center, but only trying to find the cause of the disease of one of its patients. The patient is entitled to the information on his disease, and the doctor has no legal reason to withheld it.

Within one day of learning the punishment on the university hospital, 486 news media picked up the story and unanimously harshly criticized the Hanan government. On one web site, more than 30,000 readers commented on the news with angry cursing on Henan officials. A Shanghai based newspaper ran an editorial titled 'It Is an Honor to be Punished by Henan Officials'.

The most authoritative voice comes from the People's Daily, which published a commentary stating that what Henan government did in name of order would not help in upholding the dignity of order.

Hospital Sanctioned After Examining Farmer's Disease

The No. 1 Hospital Affiliated with Zhengzhou University was sanctioned by the Provincial Health Department of Henan Province after an ordeal in which national attention was drawn to the central province of 99 million people.

28 years old farm worker Zhang Haichao felt sick after worked in a small factory in Ural Hanan. Actually Zhang was not the first one in the factory to get sick. Several died and many had to quit job because they became too weak to work. Workers did not suspect it was job related because they went through health screening every year at the official 'Zhengzhou Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment Center (CENTER)'. Every time the factory would tell them everything was normal.

All by a chance, Zhang read an article on the newspaper about black lung disease, and realised he was a victim. In the plant he worked processing stone materials, it was so dusty that he couldn't see his co-worker standing 4 feet away. Zhang again went to the official CENTER for a diagnose, but was turned away. The small factory told the CENTER the three years worker was never employed by the factory, so the CENTER refused to examine him. After months of wrestling with various level of authorities, the CENTER took an X-Ray of Zhang, but told him everything was okay. Local occupational CENTERs usually discourage workers from claiming occupational disease related benefit, because many are connected to the industries that caused these problems. Local officials also did not want to see diagnose of occupational disease for taxation considerations.

Zhang was desperate because he was so sick and he wouldn't be able to afford any treatment. He had seen co-workers painful death and he was so scared that the same would happen to him soon. He would rather die immediately than going through the last stage of black lung without at least some pain killers.

Desperate Zhang made a decision that would later place the country in shock and the Henan Health Department in embarrassment. Zhang asked the No. 1 Hospital Affiliated with Zhengzhou University to open his chest, and take a picture of his 'black' lung. The hospital did, and the story was picked up by numeral news media.

Before approaching through the extreme method, Zhang had obtained diagnose of black lung from several hospitals based on X-Rays. However, he still needs the CENTER to confirm the diagnose because the CENTER was the only official designated agency per the provincial Health Department. The CENTER refused to look into his files regardless.

The Health Ministry dispatched an expert group to Henan and announced Zhang was in stage III of black lung. With this diagnose, Zhang will be able to receive free treatment mandated by a national regulation. The head of the CENTER and the director of a city level Health Department were removed in a public outcry.

Humiliated Henan provincial government launched a counter attack. On August 10, 2009, the provincial Health Department Sanctioned the hospital for conducting occupational disease diagnose without proper authorization. The Henan provincial Health Department stated that only the officially designated CENTER could perform such examination and diagnose. The medical hospital was fined $1,000. The lead doctor was fired, and the president of the hospital was disciplined.

Deconstructing The Sacking of Wang Zhiye

Wang Zhiye was the diciplainary secretary, No. 3 behind the secreatary, deputy secretary of CCP in Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan Province. Wang was reprimended on a tin of dated tea.

The drama started in a morning of August 2007. Three padlers bought a truckload of waste from Wang's home, including a tin of dated tea which they paid 30 cents RMB ($0.05) for. Later they found a CD of over 2 million RMB ($400,000) inside the tin. Knowing the money must not be legal in the first place, the padlers neogiciated a deal to return the CD on 300 thousand RMB Yuan ($40,000) kick back. They were arrested by police and sentenced to jail.

On another thread of the develoopment of the story in September 2007, over monetary dispute, a mistress of Wang sent letters to seventeen agencies to disclose Wang's corruptive life style.

Wang survived the two incidents after a masterful covering up campaign. However, he was exposed by an 'internal reference' by the Xinhua News Agency's Henan Office. The Xinhua News Agency is not only a prapaganda machine, but also a secret agency in charged of monitoring the officials. Reporters of the News Agency write 'internal reference' that is available to only senior officials of CCP. Within 24 hours, Wang was jailed. It was revealed Wang took 4 million RMB Yuan in bribary in varies occations.

In a rare manner, the entire saga was published high-profile, for reason unclear. Wang was repelled from the Party, but otherwise undented. It is hard to interpret this as a message that the central government is using a heavy hand on corruptions of senior officials. On the opposite, it is speculated that publishing the handling of this case is to deter people from harrassing senior officials.

Mafia Nation

The mafia bank took its own customers' savings, then had the customer who dare to ask his money back jailed for 29 months. After serving his jail time, the customer sued the mafia bank in the mafia court. While acknowledging that the bank took the money, the mafia judge presiding the case announced that the mafia is not liable for the lost of money.

The mafia bank is the Agricultural Bank of China, and the mafia court is The Intermediate People's Court of Jiaozuo of the Henan Province. The customer's name is Li Zhizheng. The case is now in the appeal process in the Superior Bank of Henan Province.

The mafia bank, aka The Agricultural Bank of China is the second largest bank in China, with assets of $605 Billion by the end of 2005. It has branches in mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

The moral of the story? The Agricultural Bank of China is going IPO soon. Better grab some, a mafia bank will never loose money in a mafia nation. However, better not to put your life savings in it too.

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