Wang Qishan: China’s Fixer

Asianometry

Introduction & Current Context

Chinese Communist Party's anti-corruption drive continues targeting various officials
Recent target: Dong Hong, former disciplinary inspector and aide to Wang Qishan
Wang Qishan: former Politburo Standing Committee member, head of Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), current Vice President of PRC

Born 1948 in Shanxi province (northern China)
Youth: worked as farmer during Cultural Revolution as "sent down youth"
Met Xi Jinping in Liangjiahe village, became close friends
Married daughter of former First Vice Premier Yao Yiling (princeling connection)
Have one adopted daughter together
Studied history in college, focused on Republic of China history
Continued history studies 3 years post-graduation at Institute of Modern History

1980: recommended to Central Rural Policy Research Department
One of four young intellectuals who impressed communist old guard with agricultural reform suggestions
Praised by Chen Yun (party official) for reform proposals

1988: transferred to China Agricultural Trust and Investment Corporation
Became party secretary and president of China Construction Bank
- China Construction Bank = China's second largest bank after ICBC
Built contacts with global elites including Henry Paulson
Partnered with Morgan Stanley to create China's first joint venture investment bank: CICC Limited
Reconnected with Henry Paulson when he became US Treasury Secretary

Assigned to Guangdong province after 1998 Asian Financial Crisis
- Banks suffering with almost half their loans in technical default
- Restructured debt of several state-owned enterprises
- Returned province to relative financial health
1998 Asian Financial Crisis experience elevated his party prospects
Gained reputation as effective "firefighter" for crises

2002-2003: SARS outbreak in China
Initial government response: insisted country had virus under control
April 2003: Zhang Wenkang (Health Minister) claimed Beijing had 12 SARS cases, 3 deaths
Same day: Jiang Yanyong (retired military hospital head) contradicted, declared knowledge of at least 120 cases at former workplace
Embarrassing contradiction led to replacement of Zhang and Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong
Wang left Hainan post to become Beijing's new mayor
As mayor: brought new urgency to SARS crisis
- Mobilized people to build SARS hospital in northwest Beijing
- Enforced quarantine to stamp out outbreak
- Quarantine succeeded
Served as Beijing mayor for 4 more years, stepped down 2007

2012: selected to Politburo Standing Committee
Named Secretary of Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI)
As Xi Jinping's inner circle member, helped align CCDI with Xi's vision
Under Wang's chairmanship: CCDI ramped up checks and inspections
Launched unprecedented anti-corruption drive targeting "tigers and flies"
Nearly 9,000 officials investigated
Real quantitative evidence shows renewed activity drove down party cronyism and corruption

Talk that having no biological children makes Wang less corruptible as CCDI secretary
Narrator disputes this theory: Wang has adopted child, cronyism can involve siblings/spouses

After stepping down from Standing Committee, voted Vice President of PRC by National People's Congress
Vote count: 2,969 to 1
As Xi's close comrade and trusted firefighter, continues extensive behind-scenes influence
Particularly involved in foreign affairs
Common for retired communist officials to be consulted regularly

Significant conspiracy mongering around Wang Qishan
Recent events fueling speculation:
- Dong Hong arrest
- Persecution of Wang family acquaintance Ren Zhiqiang
Miles Guo (exiled Chinese real estate tycoon):
- Known for YouTube channel, association with Steve Bannon
- Targeting Wang with allegations and conspiracy theories
- Has significant following among conservative types and Chinese diaspora abroad
Narrator's assessment: accusations seem far-fetched
- Wang and Xi together for decades
- Wang entrusted with important responsibilities
- Recent events involve associates/co-workers/subordinates rather than inner circle
- Miles Guo's credibility damaged by previous laboratory virus claims

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