Wuhan mayor during coronavirus outbreak sentenced to 14 years in prison

(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) According to AFP and Chinese official media, the Intermediate People's Court of Shangqiu City, Henan Province publicly sentenced Zhou Xianwang, a former member and vice chairman of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, for accepting bribes in the first instance on Saturday (October 10). He was sentenced to 14 years in prison for accepting bribes and fined RMB 5 million. The property and interest obtained from the crimes in the case were recovered and turned over to the state treasury, and the remaining part will continue to be recovered.

According to a court notice cited by Xinhua News Agency, it was found after trial that from the first half of 2003 to May 2025, Zhou Xianwang used his position to serve as governor of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Hubei Province, director of the Hubei Provincial Department of Commerce, secretary of the Huangshi Municipal Party Committee, and deputy director of the Hubei Provincial Committee. With the convenience of serving as deputy governor, mayor of Wuhan, and vice chairman of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, he "provided assistance to relevant units and individuals in matters such as project contracting, business operations, administrative approval, etc." and received a total of more than 60.5 million yuan in property.

The court held that the amount of bribes Zhou Xianwang accepted was particularly huge and should be punished in accordance with the law. However, in view of the attempted bribery crime, he truthfully confessed the crime after arriving at the case, took the initiative to explain most of the bribery facts that the case handling agency has not yet grasped, confessed and repented, and actively returned the stolen goods, he may be given a lighter punishment in accordance with the law.

The case was heard in public in Shangqiu on July 9 this year, and Zhou Xianwang expressed his guilt and repentance in court. According to Chinese practice, corruption cases involving senior officials are usually heard by courts in other places.

According to Agence France-Presse, Zhou Xianwang was removed from office and put under investigation in July last year. On January 4 this year, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervisory Commission announced their "double expulsion" from the party and public office.

A notice published on the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection stated that Zhou Xianwang "lost his ideals and beliefs, betrayed his original mission, and engaged in superstitious activities." He violated the spirit of the eight central regulations by accepting banquets and travel arrangements, seeking benefits for others and accepting property during cadre selection and employee recruitment. He "used his power to benefit relatives' business activities and engaged in power and sex transactions," and "disrespected the discipline and education of his son." The report also stated that he "did not restrain himself or stop" after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which was serious in nature and had a bad influence.

When Zhou Xianwang served as mayor of Wuhan, the COVID-19 epidemic broke out in Wuhan from the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2020. On January 27, 2020, Zhou Xianwang admitted in an exclusive interview with China's state-run media CCTV that "information disclosure was not timely" in the early stage of the epidemic, and said that as a local government, "information can only be disclosed after obtaining authorization." He also said that if accountability is required, "we are willing to dismiss him to thank the world." This statement aroused widespread concern at home and abroad in China.

In January 2021, Zhou Xianwang resigned as mayor of Wuhan and later became vice chairman of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. According to AFP, he will hold this position from 2021 to 2023.

Since taking power in late 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping has launched an aggressive anti-corruption campaign within the ruling Communist Party, resulting in the dismissal of numerous officials. Supporters believe that the campaign will help promote clean governance; critics believe that anti-corruption has become a tool for Xi Jinping to eliminate political opponents.