A massive corruption case involving a former Chinese mayor has shocked investigators and drawn global attention. Zhang Qiu, the former mayor of Haikou city, now faces the death penalty for large-scale corruption.
During raids on his properties, investigators uncovered an enormous amount of illegal wealth. They seized 13.5 tonnes of gold and 23 tonnes of cash from multiple locations. Officials also found luxury villas, high-end apartments, and expensive cars in China and abroad.
Investigators say Zhang Qiu misused his official position for years. He allegedly accepted bribes through government land deals, infrastructure contracts, and administrative approvals. Authorities confirmed that he earned billions of dollars through illegal transactions.
The scale of the seized assets stunned anti-corruption officials. They described the case as one of the largest corruption exposures in recent Chinese history. Moreover, the revelations sparked intense public debate inside and outside China.
Zhang Qiu now faces capital punishment under China’s strict anti-graft laws. Prosecutors argue that the size of the corruption and the abuse of public trust justify the maximum penalty.
China’s anti-corruption drive has intensified under President Xi Jinping since 2012. During this period, authorities have prosecuted more than 100,000 officials across various levels of government. While death sentences remain rare, courts impose them in extreme cases.
In December, former China Huarong executive Bai Tianhui was executed. Courts found him guilty of amassing illegal assets worth over 1.1 billion yuan. Earlier, in 2021, former Huarong chairman Lai Xiaomin faced execution after taking bribes worth 1.79 billion yuan.
Similarly, former Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian received a death sentence this year. However, the court suspended it for two years due to his cooperation with investigators.
The Zhang Qiu case has once again exposed the scale of corruption at senior levels. At the same time, it highlights China’s hardline approach toward officials involved in massive graft.
చైనా మాజీ మేయర్ అవినీతి షాక్
13.5 టన్నుల బంగారం, భారీ నగదు బయటపడటంతో జాంగ్ క్యూపై మరణశిక్ష కేసు సంచలనం.#China #JiangQu pic.twitter.com/qORWLfGFr4
— YK Tv Digital (@yktvdigital) January 3, 2026
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