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| Ren Zhiqiang: Outspoken ex-real estate tycoon gets 18 years jail | Ren Zhiqiang: Outspoken ex-real estate tycoon gets 18 years jail |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A former real estate tycoon and an outspoken critic of China's President Xi Jinping has been sentenced to 18 years in jail on charges of corruption. | A former real estate tycoon and an outspoken critic of China's President Xi Jinping has been sentenced to 18 years in jail on charges of corruption. |
| A court in Beijing found Ren Zhiqiang "guilty of corruption, bribery and embezzlement of public funds", said state media outlet the Global Times. | A court in Beijing found Ren Zhiqiang "guilty of corruption, bribery and embezzlement of public funds", said state media outlet the Global Times. |
| He will also have to pay a fine of 4.2m yuan (£482,950;$620,000). | He will also have to pay a fine of 4.2m yuan (£482,950;$620,000). |
| Ren went missing in March this year shortly after writing an essay said to be critical of President Xi. | Ren went missing in March this year shortly after writing an essay said to be critical of President Xi. |
| Although it did not directly name President Xi, it was widely believed to be about him. | Although it did not directly name President Xi, it was widely believed to be about him. |
| The Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court said Ren had accepted bribes worth 1.25m and embezzled almost 50m yuan. | The Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court said Ren had accepted bribes worth 1.25m and embezzled almost 50m yuan. |
| He is said to have "voluntarily" confessed to all charges and will not appeal against the decision. | He is said to have "voluntarily" confessed to all charges and will not appeal against the decision. |
| The former chairman of the Hua Yuan Property Company was not merely a business tycoon. The son of a ministry official, he was also known to have close ties with senior party leaders and was in a position from which his criticisms of the party would be particularly potent. | The former chairman of the Hua Yuan Property Company was not merely a business tycoon. The son of a ministry official, he was also known to have close ties with senior party leaders and was in a position from which his criticisms of the party would be particularly potent. |
| Rights groups have consistently accused China of using corruption charges as a way to clamp down on dissent. | Rights groups have consistently accused China of using corruption charges as a way to clamp down on dissent. |
| 'Anti-Communist Party' thoughts | 'Anti-Communist Party' thoughts |
| Ren's sharply critical essay had been about Beijing's handling of the virus outbreak, and came after a televised speech by President Xi. | Ren's sharply critical essay had been about Beijing's handling of the virus outbreak, and came after a televised speech by President Xi. |
| He did not directly refer to Mr Xi in his essay, but according to a report in the China Digital Times, said: "I too am curiously and conscientiously studying [the] speech... what I saw ...[was] not an emperor standing there exhibiting his 'new clothes', but a clown who stripped naked and insisted on continuing being emperor." | He did not directly refer to Mr Xi in his essay, but according to a report in the China Digital Times, said: "I too am curiously and conscientiously studying [the] speech... what I saw ...[was] not an emperor standing there exhibiting his 'new clothes', but a clown who stripped naked and insisted on continuing being emperor." |
| Shortly after the essay was published, it was announced that Ren had been put under investigation for "suspected serious disciplinary violations". | Shortly after the essay was published, it was announced that Ren had been put under investigation for "suspected serious disciplinary violations". |
| Beijing later announced that he had been expelled from the Communist Party. | Beijing later announced that he had been expelled from the Communist Party. |
| If you have not lived in China recently it might be hard to imagine just how much of a line you are crossing when you publicly criticise Xi Jinping. | If you have not lived in China recently it might be hard to imagine just how much of a line you are crossing when you publicly criticise Xi Jinping. |
| Attacking the government is one thing but a pretty obvious reference to Xi as a "clown stripped naked who still wants to be the emperor" would have shocked those who saw the essay. | Attacking the government is one thing but a pretty obvious reference to Xi as a "clown stripped naked who still wants to be the emperor" would have shocked those who saw the essay. |
| The rule of Xi Jinping has, at times, reached something approaching Mao-era deification. | The rule of Xi Jinping has, at times, reached something approaching Mao-era deification. |
| Mr Xi's belt and road initiative, his poverty alleviation goals are all described as nothing short of brilliant. | Mr Xi's belt and road initiative, his poverty alleviation goals are all described as nothing short of brilliant. |
| He is never judged adversely on any subject. | He is never judged adversely on any subject. |
| What makes Ren Zhiqiang's challenges worse is that, for the Party elite, this is coming from one of their own. | What makes Ren Zhiqiang's challenges worse is that, for the Party elite, this is coming from one of their own. |
| As former chairman of a huge state-owned property developer, he mixed in their circles. | As former chairman of a huge state-owned property developer, he mixed in their circles. |
| This was not to be tolerated. Any hint of cracks emerging at the top of China's governance structure are to be removed immediately. | This was not to be tolerated. Any hint of cracks emerging at the top of China's governance structure are to be removed immediately. |
| It's easy to do this using the courts because the judiciary is at one with the Communist Party. | It's easy to do this using the courts because the judiciary is at one with the Communist Party. |
| Ren would have known there was no point resisting - given the prosecution's almost perfect conviction rate - so he perhaps thought he might as well confess to the lot in the hope of a nicer cell or who knows what in return? | Ren would have known there was no point resisting - given the prosecution's almost perfect conviction rate - so he perhaps thought he might as well confess to the lot in the hope of a nicer cell or who knows what in return? |
| This is not the first time Ren, who has been nicknamed "Big Cannon" for his outspokenness, has had a run in with authorities. | |
| In 2016, China shut down his microblogging accounts after he criticised President Xi. | In 2016, China shut down his microblogging accounts after he criticised President Xi. |
| He had written a Weibo blog that state media was funded by taxpayers and should therefore serve the people instead of the Communist Party. | He had written a Weibo blog that state media was funded by taxpayers and should therefore serve the people instead of the Communist Party. |
| His post was later criticised by state media, with one referring to him as having "anti-Communist Party" thoughts. | His post was later criticised by state media, with one referring to him as having "anti-Communist Party" thoughts. |