From Caijing Magazine:
On April 4, the gavel came down for the sentencing of Chen Liangyu. This former member of the Politburo and one-time Shanghai party secretary will spend 18 years in prison after being found guilty of taking bribes and abusing his official powers. Since last June, we have seen a series of connected court cases concerning economic crimes committed in relation to the Shanghai pension scandal come to trial in Shanghai, Tianjin, Anhui and Jilin (see our cover stories Judgment in the Shanghai Pension Scandal Case, Shattered Halo for a Shanghai Magnate, and The Trial of Chen Liangyu). Now, we have an opportunity to take time to reflect and put the matter in perspective.
There is much to reflect on. While many things remain to be done, two must be given priority: The drafting, promulgation and resolute implementation of a “sunshine law;” and issuance of a system of rules governing the behavior of the family and close colleagues of leading officials. This is a fundamental step for the successful implementation of a strategy for fighting and preventing corruption, and for the rebuilding of public confidence.
