In a significant ruling that underscores China’s ongoing battle against corruption, Zhang Wufeng, the erstwhile director of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, was handed a ten-year prison sentence by a Chinese court on Tuesday.
The Intermediate People’s Court of Deyang City, Sichuan Province, found Mr. Zhang guilty of accepting bribes amounting to a staggering ¥16.47 million (approximately $2.32 million).
The Chinese court determined that Mr Zhang had exploited his influential positions within the Shandong Province, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration to facilitate his illicit activities.
Between the years 2003 and 2022, Mr Zhang was implicated in assisting various individuals and entities in securing project contracts and advancing their careers.
In addition to his prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of ¥1 million on Mr. Zhang and ordered the recovery of his ill-gotten gains, which are to be returned to the state treasury.
Born in October 1960, Zhang Wufeng held the position of director of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration from 2018 to 2022. His political career included being a delegate to the 12th National People’s Congress and a representative of the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. He was also a member of the 19th CCP Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
However, his career took a downturn in June 2022 when he was placed under investigation for “serious violations of laws and regulations” by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission, China’s top anti-corruption agencies. By the end of the year, Wufeng was expelled from the CCP.
This case is a stark reminder of the Chinese government’s relentless pursuit of corruption within its ranks. The conviction of Mr Zhang is a testament to the serious repercussions faced by those who breach the trust placed in them by the state and its citizens.