On January 12, 2008, The China Central Television (CCTV) reported that Mr. Hu Jintao, the President of China visited Mr. Zheng Jichao, an ordinary peasant of Liying village, Wangjiaba town, Funan County, Anhui Province. In the footage, President Hu was shown drinking tape water. It turned out that Zheng, actually, is an experienced “professional impersonator,” who was visited by five batches of local government officials and interviewed by two batches of reporters. An Internet user found this out after a simple search on the Internet. The search results are translated and listed below: [1]
The First Time: (November 15, 2007)
Zheng was first visited on November 15, 2007, by Zhao Kai, deputy secretary of the Work Committee for offices directly under the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, who came to Fuyang for inspection and salute and was accompanied by Hu Liansong, vice chairman of the National People’s Congress and municipal party committee secretary, Zhang Shaochun and Li Hongta, provincial heads in certain divisions, and Liu Shaotai, vice mayor.
At a house reconstruction site, 50-year-old Zheng held Zhao Kai’s hand and said happily, “the residence building is built and the road is widened. We use methane to cook food and our life is enhanced. For all of these, we are thankful for the Communist Party and government’s care and support.” Zhao Kai was very happy to know those villagers whose houses fell were satisfied with the newly reconstructed houses. He said reconstruction work after a disaster was critical to public vitality, interest, social stability, and key development; therefore, everyone must work hard to ensure completeness of the reconstruction task.
Source: (official website of Anhui Province’s Center for Education of Chinese Communist Party members)
http://www.ahxf.gov.cn/shownew.asp?ID=53372
The Second Time: (November 23, 2007)
On November 23, 2007, the heads of the county, town, and village all came to Zheng’s home and asked him this and that, and also brought him winter jackets, quilts, and flour. They asked him again and again if he needed any help. When Li Guoqing, the deputy county head, heard his fallen-down house had been reconstructed and they had no worries about food and clothing, he then felt relieved and left. When Zheng wore the winter jacket handed out by the county head, he was so grateful to say, “The winter jacket was new and thick, wearing it warmed my heart. The things we didn’t think through were thought by our government!”
Source: (official website of Fuyang city government, Anhui Province)
http://www.fy.gov.cn/html/20071205/200712051052274638.shtml
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The Third Time: (December 5, 2007)
On December 5, 2007, Zhao Shucong, provincial party committee member and executive vice governor, was accompanied by Song Weiping, the municipal party committee secretary, and Song Jiawei, a municipal party committee member and deputy mayor of the standing committee, to a house reconstruction site and Zheng Jichao’s home. After seeing Zheng’s home had been rebuilt and he had no worries about food and clothing, Zhao Shucong encouraged Zheng to make a good use of compensation money to further development and become rich sooner.
Zheng said there were three or four groups of people that came to his home to verify the loss. They all took notes carefully to record what he said. They all had a clear recording. Holding 3979.85 yuan for the compensation and 5000 yuan for his home reconstruction, Zhen said he would build the house nicely and plan well for the next year’s production.
Source: (website of Fuyang city radio station)
http://www.fyradio.com.cn/Html/fynews/20071206192005.html
The Fourth Time: (December 10, 2007)
On December 10, 2007, Wang Sanyun, Anhui provincial party committee deputy secretary and acting governor was accompanied by Zhang Jun, secretary-general of Anhui provincial government, and other division heads to Fuyang to investigate and guide the work.
Wang Sanyun came to a house reconstruction site in Wangjiaba in Funan to observe the construction work. In Zhentaizi, the roads were smooth, water towers were built, and villagers were happy and busy wrapping up the new houses. After heard a report by the town heads, Wang Sanyun was very happy. He walked into Zheng Jichao’s new three-room home and asked him the source of the house-building and quality of the house. “Are you happy with your new home?” “Certainly! With the government’s support, I now live in a good home.” Wang Sanyun handed Zhen Jichao a cotton quilt and reminded him of keeping warm in winter.
Meng Qingyin, Qi Long, Wang Haiyan, Chu Jinshui, Du Changping, Liu Shaotai, Hu Mingying, Tao Kegui, and Li Zipeng, the city heads, also accompanied Wang Sanyun to do the investigation.
Source: (website of Science and Technology Association of Fuyang city)
http://www.kpwww.com/readnews.asp?newsid=1892
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The Fifth Time: (December18, 2007)
Interviewed by Reporters:
Zheng Jichao said, “At that moment I was moved to tears.” “No sooner had the flood receded, the verification of flood disasters and compensation tasks in the county started.” “My family was eligible for a compensation of more than 10,000 Yuan. I was so very happy.” I told everybody I met, “We have no fear no matter how big the flood since the Party (CCP) is the patron of our people.”
Source: (official website of Chinese Communist Party’s Commission For Discipline Inspection of Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guiling City Government’s Bureau of Supervision)
http://www.glmj.gov.cn/news/xuanjiao/fengcai/2007/12/1802.htm
The Sixth Time: (December 18, 2007)
After more than one hour’s drive, the reporters’ eyes were widely opened when they stepped into Zhengtai and Zhizhuangtai in Wangjiaba Town, Funan County. The original flood-damaged and dilapidated-houses have disappeared. What cast into their eyes is another scene with rows of brand-new flats, with stalls of bright fences, and a spacious paved road that directly leads through the two sides of Zhuangtai. There is a newly built water tower, surrounded by flowers and lawns…
From a distance through the iron fences, Zheng Jichao was just taking a sunbath in the yard. He heard that the reporter was coming to interview; Zheng Jichao stood up in a hurry, and also came the neighbors around the village by ones and twos.”
“Look at the design and planning of our houses, are they comparable to the houses in the cities?” “Your reporters have seen much more than we; how is the tree planting project here?” The folks asked the reporter with feeling of joy. Pointing at the new houses, Zheng Jichao said to the reporters, “The government really cares about me. I was subsidized for 5,000 Yuan for the house and a few hundred Yuan for fixing up the yard. Even the fence was free. Now the tap water and town gas are connected to our house. A few days ago, the town sent us two sacks of flour. I am free from worries of food, dwelling and cooking. Although the weather is cold, our hearts feel warm”.
Source: (official website of Anhui Province’s Center for Education of Chinese Communist Party members)
http://www.ahxf.gov.cn/shownews.asp?ID=55868
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The Seventh Time: (January 12, 2008)
In the afternoon of January 12, Hu Jintao made a special visit to inspect the Wangjiaba Gateway despite the wind and snow. In last summer, for the sake of the bigger Huai River project, the people in the flood storage made a great sacrifice. The General Secretary had been thinking of the folks in the area and made a special visit to Zhengtai and Zhizhuangtai, Liying village, Wangjiaba Town, Hunan County. After inspected the reinforced protection slope of Zhuangtai and the announcement of compensation, Hu came to Zheng Jichao’s home.
As soon as he entered the house, the General Secretary held the host’s hand, and said with deep feeling, “The folks suffered in the Huai River flood last summer. Now it is winter and cold, I have worried whether you have other difficulties in your life. Today I specifically came here for you.” Zheng Jichao told the General Secretary, “Owing to the help of the Party and the government, I have built my new house and have support for my living.” “Have you received the state’s compensation for the flood?” asked the General Secretary.
“Yes, it is right here”. Zheng Jicha said while taking a red deposit book from his pocket. Hu took over the deposit and counted the amount. He then smiled at Zheng Jichao and said, “Like this, I do not need to worry anymore.”
Upon leaving Zheng’s house, Hu Jintao saw the tap pipes in the yard. He turned on the faucet, and drank some water from his palms. The General Secretary’s act of caring deeply for the people touched the people who were on the scene.
Source: (CCTV)
http://news.cctv.com/china/20080114/106215.shtml
So far, the Party leaders who have visited Zheng Jichao’s home are listed below (listed in the order of official rank from low to high, exclude the village and town leaders):
Li Guoqing, Funan County Governor
Li Zipeng, Secretary-General of Fuyang City government
Tao Kegui, Municipal CPPCC Vice Chairman
Hu Mingying, Vice Mayor of Fuyang City
Liu Shaotai, Vice Mayor of Fuyang City
Du Changping, Vice Mayor of Fuyang City
Chu Jinshui, Fuyang City People’s Congress Deputy Director
Wang Haiyan, Fuyang City CPC Committee, Vice Mayor
Qilong, Fuyang City CPC Committee,
Song Jiawei, Fuyang City CPC Committee; City Deputy Director of the NPC Standing Committee
Meng Qingyin, Fuyang City Deputy Secretary
Sun Yunfei, Mayor of Fuyang City, Fuyang City Deputy Secretary
Li Hongta, Province Bureau of Civil Affairs
Zhang Shaochun, Deputy Secretary-General of Anhui Province
Song Weiping, Fuyang City Deputy Secretary, Chief of Municipal People’s Congress
Zhangjun, Government Chief Secretary of Anhui Province
Hu Liansong, Vice Chairman of Anhui Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee, former Fuyang City Party Secretary
Zhao Shucong, The Standing Committee of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee, deputy governor of Anhui Province
Zhao Kai, Deputy Decretary of the Work Committee in the Departments under the Central Committee
Wang Yun, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee, Acting Governor of Anhui Province
Wang Jinshan, Secretary of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee
Wen Jiabao, The People’s Republic of China Premier
Hu Jintao, China People’s Republic of China, secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee
Endnotes:
[1] Boxun.com, January 26, 2008
http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2008/01/200801260113.shtml