Another ex-mayor exits and Nanjing wins place in China’s political record books
- City’s former mayor comes under investigation – just as his predecessor and boss before him
To lose one mayor may be regarded as a misfortune but now Nanjing, the capital of the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu, has achieved the rare distinction of losing two mayors and a Communist Party chief in five years.
The party’s anti-graft watchdog and the new National Supervisory Commission announced on Thursday that Miao Ruilin – the city’s mayor from late 2013 until he was promoted to Jiangsu vice-governor in January this year – was under investigation on suspicion of severe violation of state laws and party discipline, a common euphemism for corruption.
Before Miao, 54, took over in Nanjing, the post was held by Ji Jianye, who had held the job for three years before he, too, was investigated over similar violations. Ji was jailed for 15 years in 2015 for taking more than 10 million yuan in bribes.
Both Miao and Ji before him served under Yang Weize, the party secretary of the city until he was also investigated and jailed for 12½ years in 2016 for corruption.
Sources close to the Nanjing government said Miao kept a fairly low profile in the city, with little apparent appetite to pursue ambitious projects.
“It was a stark contrast with his active role as the party chief and mayor of Suqian,” one of the sources said.
