Gong Qinggai Explained

Office1:Deputy Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office
Term Start1:October 2013
Term End1:January 2016
Alongside1:Ye Kedong, Chen Yuanfeng, Li Yafei[1]
1Blankname1:Director
1Namedata1:Zhang Zhijun
Office2:Mayor of Nanping
Term Start2:June 2007
Term End2:February 2010
Predecessor2:Chen Hua
Successor2:Pei Jinjia
Office3:Communist Party Secretary of Jinjiang
Term Start3:May 2002
Term End3:June 2005
Office4:Mayor of Jinjiang
Term Start4:January 1996
Term End4:October 2003
Gong Qinggai
Native Name:龚清概
Native Name Lang:zh
Birth Place:Shishi, Fujian, China
Party:Chinese Communist Party (1979–2016; expelled)
Alma Mater:Open University of Hong Kong
Central Party School of the Chinese Communist Party

Gong Qinggai (; born June 1958) is a former Chinese politician who spent most of his career throughout the southeastern China's Fujian province. As of January 2016 he was under investigation by the Communist Party's anti-corruption agency. He served in various administrative and political roles in Fujian province and over a period of 35 years worked his way up to the position of deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office.[2] He served as mayor of Jinjiang, a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Quanzhou, from January 1996 to October 2003, and Communist Party Secretary, the top political position in the city, from May 2002 to June 2005.

He was a member of the 11th National People's Congress and a member of the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.

Gong is fluent in Taiwanese (Hokkien).

Biography

Gong was born in Shishi, Fujian, in June 1958. He graduated from the Open University of Hong Kong.[3]

He joined the Chinese Communist Party in March 1979, and entered the workforce in September 1980.

He served in various posts in Jinjiang County before serving as vice-mayor of Jinjiang in December 1992. In April 1995 he was promoted to become deputy party chief and mayor of Jijiang, and held that offices until May 2002. Then he was promoted again to become party chief of Jinjiang. He also served as deputy party chief of Quanzhou from March 2005 to January 2007. In January 2007, he was transferred to Nanping, and served as its deputy party chief and vice-mayor. Five months later, he was promoted to the Mayor position. In February 2010, he was transferred to Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, where he served as secretary of Party Working Committee and director of the Administrative Committee.[4] In October 2013, he was appointed as deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office.[1] [5] [6] When he was in office, he made a secret visit to Taiwan.

Downfall

On January 19, 2016, Gong Qinggai came under investigation for "serious legal violations", a brief statement issued by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on its website, without elaborating.[7] He was expelled from the Communist Party on April 21, for "violates political discipline, membership in private clubs, plays golf and bribery".[8]

On April 20, 2017, Gong Qinggai was sentenced for 15 years in prison, having been convicted on charges of bribery by the Anyang People's Intermediate Court. Five million yuan of personal assets were seized, and all of his earnings deemed to have come from corrupt sources were confiscated by the national treasury. The total value of bribes recorded by the court was 53.52 million yuan.

Notes and References

  1. News: http://www.chinanews.com/tw/2013/11-08/5479050.shtml . zh:国台办副主任调整 李亚飞、龚清概升任副主任 . Chinanews . 2013-11-08 . zh.
  2. News: http://news.sohu.com/20160119/n435079939.shtml . zh:龚清概深耕福建35年台语流利 两年前秘访台湾 . Sohu . 2016-01-19 . zh .
  3. News: http://news.163.com/16/0119/18/BDNC100V00014JB5.html. zh:国台办副主任龚清概涉嫌严重违纪接受组织调查 . 163.COM . January 19, 2016 . zh.
  4. News: Key officials in Pingtan: Gong Qinggai. Chinadaily. 2010.
  5. News: Mainland Opens Office to Handle Taiwan-related Petitions. https://web.archive.org/web/20160129044004/http://english.cri.cn/12394/2014/08/16/2743s840546.htm. dead. January 29, 2016. english.cri.cn. 2014-08-15.
  6. News: China sends 'special envoy' to Taiwan over APEC summit. zeenews.india.com. 2014-09-03.
  7. News: http://www.ccdi.gov.cn/xwtt/201601/t20160119_73156.html. zh:中共中央台湾工作办公室、国务院台湾事务办公室副主任龚清概涉嫌严重违纪接受组织调查 . ccdi.gov.cn . January 19, 2016 . zh.
  8. Web site: 中央台湾工作办公室原副主任、国务院台湾事务办公室原副主任龚清概严重违纪被开除党籍 . April 21, 2016 . CCDI.