You Can Now Watch A Whole TV Show Of Allegedly Corrupt Officials Giving Confessions
Spoiler alert: the Chinese officials in the series cry. A lot.
China is bringing TV crime shows to another level: there's a new eight-episode TV documentary series featuring (potentially forced) confessions from the country's most notorious corrupt former politicians.
"Always on the Road," co-produced by state-run China Central Television (CCTV) and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China — the party's corruption watchdog, was reportedly shot across 22 provinces in the country and interviewed nearly a dozen former high-ranking party officials from behind bars. The first two episodes were aired Monday and Tuesday.
In the hunt for "tigers and flies" — a metaphor for major and minor corrupted officials — the country's ruling Communist Party has punished more than 280,000 officials for “discipline violations" in a desperate effort to restore its public image and authority. The arguably biggest "tiger" to date, former security czar Zhou Yongkang, also appeared in a supporting role through the use of archival footage.
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of The Communist Party of China / Via v.ccdi.gov.cn
Note: In modern Chinese politics, a party secretary is usually the de facto highest official of his/her area of jurisdiction.
Zhou Benshun, 63, former Hebei province party secretary
Total value of funds and assets embezzled or misused: not disclosed.
Charge(s): abuse of power and taking bribes.
Quote: "I've hated corrupt officials since I was little, [but] I ended up being a corrupt one myself."
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of The Communist Party of China / Via v.ccdi.gov.cn
Bai Enpei, 70, former party secretary of Yunnan province
Total value of funds and assets embezzled or misused: ¥246,764,511 ($36,601,356).
Sentence: death penalty with a two-year reprieve.
Quote: "They [other officials] live in luxury buildings. ride with luxury cars, some even bought private jets. [I] started to pursue the same lifestyle, and my mindset changed."
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of The Communist Party of China / Via v.ccdi.gov.cn