“In reference to recent news circulated online that the legal representative of Changzhou Huali Hydraulic Lubrication Equipment Co Ltd fell to his death after being questioned, the discipline inspection commission and supervisory authorities are investigating the case in depth,” Changzhou’s official broadcaster said in a brief statement on WeChat on Sunday night.
In an obituary posted on Monday afternoon and later deleted, Huali said its chairman, Cheng Yong, 44, died on Saturday morning.
Quoting Cheng’s family and Huali executives, mainland news outlet China Business Network reported on Saturday that Cheng had met officials from Changzhou’s discipline inspection commission for three consecutive days – including late on Friday night before he died.
News outlet Caixin also quoted sources close to the Cheng family and Huali on Monday afternoon as saying that several local businesspeople had been questioned in connection with the case of Yang Kangcheng, a deputy head of the district government in Changzhou who was under investigation.
Caixin and China Business Network both referred to a purported suicide note posted by Cheng on social media on Saturday morning, suggesting that he had been implicated in Yang’s case.
In the note, Cheng reportedly said he had “hastily confessed” to being involved in an 8 million yuan (US$1.1 million) payment in Yang’s case and to “paying bribes in cash”.
The Post could not independently verify the note’s authenticity.
Jiangsu’s discipline inspection commission said earlier that Yang had been investigated by the Changzhou commission in June. Another government statement said Yang resigned from his government post in August.
Huali said on its WeChat account on Saturday afternoon that Cheng had “jumped to his death to prove his innocence”.
By Monday afternoon, Huali’s post and the reports from Caixin and China Business News had been removed.
China begins new round of corruption inspections looking for ‘major risks’
China begins new round of corruption inspections looking for ‘major risks’
Changzhou, about 150km (90 miles) northwest of Shanghai, is located in the Yangtze River Delta economic belt, a private sector heartland.
Privately owned Huali was founded in 1984 and makes hydraulic lubrication equipment for industrial use. Cheng, its owner and chairman, was a member of several local business organisations with official backgrounds, according to business registration information.
Under Chinese law, people held by an anti-corruption body are not granted access to a lawyer until after they are officially charged. Businesspeople suspected of paying bribes can be detained up to six months and accusations made under the system are extremely difficult for suspects to challenge.
Authorities have repeatedly vowed to support the private sector and protect the rights and interests of private entrepreneurs.
And in October, the Supreme People’s Court issued a guideline to protect private enterprises, combat the “defamation” of private entrepreneurs, and maintain a “fair and honest” market environment.
Various law-enforcement bodies have also pledged to “not to arrest or prosecute” entrepreneurs if possible.
News of Cheng’s death prompted widespread discussion on Weibo, including one comment that was reposted hundreds of times.
“How can you develop the economy if you do something like this?”
