Qu Wanting's property auction ends, her mother Zhang Mingjie sentenced to life imprisonment

[4] Compiled from: Red Star News
 
On June 3, the second auction of a property owned by Qu Wanting, who rose to fame with the song "You Exist in My Song," concluded with a transaction price of 2.199 million yuan. The property had failed to sell at the first court auction on May 16, and was relisted for a second auction on June 2 with a price reduction of more than 400,000 yuan. In addition, another property owned by Qu Wanting was sold for 2.919 million yuan at the first court auction on May 16. The two properties were auctioned for a total of more than 5 million yuan. It is reported that both properties are connected to Qu Wanting's mother, Zhang Mingjie.

 
 

 
Case review
From 10:00 on May 15 to 10:00 on May 16, two apartments owned by Zhang Mingjie, located in Unit 1, Building 2, Phase I of R&F Jiangwan New Town, Daoli District, Harbin, were put up for auction. Unit 1802, with an area of 172.77 square meters, was sold for 2.919 million yuan. Unit 1801, with an area of 148.76 square meters, went unsold due to a lack of registered bidders.

 
 

Zhang Mingjie, formerly a deputy director of the Harbin Municipal Development and Reform Commission, was sentenced and punished for accepting bribes and abusing power. The court ruled at the time that Zhang Mingjie engaged in favoritism and irregularities and abused power, causing losses to public property totaling more than RMB 230 million. Zhang Mingjie was sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime of accepting bribes, deprived of political rights for life, and had all personal property confiscated; and was sentenced to ten years in prison for the crime of abusing power. It was decided to execute life imprisonment, deprive him of political rights for life, and confiscate all personal property. On appeal, the ruling was upheld, maintaining the first-instance sentence of life imprisonment.
 
 
"Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China"
Article 385 
Any state functionary who, by taking advantage of their position, extorts property from another person, or illegally accepts another person’s property in exchange for securing benefits for that person, constitutes the crime of bribery.
Any state functionary who, in economic activities, violates state regulations by accepting various forms of rebates or handling fees for personal possession shall be punished as a bribe-taker.
 
Article 397
Any state functionary who abuses their power or neglects their duty, causing significant losses to public property, the state, or the interests of the people, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention; if the circumstances are particularly serious, they shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than seven years. Where this law provides otherwise, those provisions shall apply.
Where a functionary of a State organ commits the crime mentioned in the preceding paragraph by engaging in malpractices for selfish ends, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years or criminal detention; if the circumstances are especially serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than five years but not more than 10 years. Where otherwise provided for by this Law, such provisions shall be followed.
 
 
[1] The author's perspective
Qu Wanting, a singer who was quite popular in our country a few years ago, reached the pinnacle of her career right from her debut, but fell to rock bottom because of her mother, Zhang Mingjie. Through understanding the case of Zhang Mingjie's bribery and abuse of power, Zhang Mingjie indeed had no regard for the law. As the deputy director of the Harbin Development and Reform Commission, she caused losses to public property amounting to more than 230 million yuan. She not only betrayed the people's trust, but also failed to abide by her own principles as a public servant. To this day, she has been forced to disgorge all the assets she swallowed back then, and has also dragged down her daughter's future. It can truly be said that she got what she deserved. This shows that one should fulfill one's duties conscientiously in any position. Especially as a state functionary, with the state behind and the masses in front, there is even less room for failure.