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Video Implicates Chinese Communist Official

November 05, 2008 11:30 AM

By Beth Loyd, ABC News Beijing

Chinese authorities say that a Communist Party official was caught on tape harassing a girl. 

The video, taken by a restaurant’s in-house security camera, shows a young girl and a pudgy older man walking away. Less than a minute later, the girl runs back across the restaurant. Then her family comes back with her and her father confronts the perpetrator. A heated argument ensues. 

The video has been posted all over the internet in China and bloggers are alive with the story. State-run media has also got a hold of it and is running with it. It has been posted on the most popular site in China, sina.com. The communist official implicated has been fired. 

Not only did the video surface, but so did an audio recording, which was reportedly taped right after the incident last week in a local police station. 

Lin Jianxing, the Communist Party secretary of the Shenzhen, China marine affairs bureau reportedly asked the 11-year-old girl to show him where to find the restroom. He then allegedly grabbed her by the neck and tried to force her into a stall, an allegation which authorities say the man later admitted to.

The girl then ran to tell her father, who stopped and confronted Lin. Authorities say Lin then threatened the girl’s father by announcing his high position in the local communist party. Later, at the police station, Lin allegedly tried to bribe his way out of it. 

We translated the audio tape, which is posted online: 

Lin: I admit I did it.

Lin: I did it. Please forgive me. I will buy that video. How about 15,000.yuan ($2000)

Girl’s father: It was shot by my neighbor. Nothing I can do.

Lin: I can apologize.

Lin: I take the responsibility.

Girl’s father: How can taking responsibility be enough? You scared her. You grabbed her neck.

Lin: I already said I am wrong. How much do you want me to pay for it? You just tell me.

Girl’s father: I need to know the truth and details of it. I want to solve it in the police station.

Lin: I have many friends. From Shandong to Hainan, then to Shenzhen. Do you know how I was promoted?

Lin’s female companion: Shut up, shut up! Don’t believe it. He was drunk.

Girl’s father: She is my only daughter.

Lin: I will treat her as my own daughter. I am not a bad man. I am an old man. I am almost 60. I will retire soon.

Lin has been forced into early retirement. The Communist Party Committee of the Ministry of Transport said Lin’s “wild words and behavior have had an extremely negative impact on society,” according to state-run media. The police have launched a full investigation into the incident and have asked for any witnesses from the restaurant to come forward. 

According to state media, the girl was so shaken up, she could not go to school the next day. It is unclear what — if any — charges will be filed against the official, as there were no other witnesses. Chinese courts and justice are different. Sexual abuse and harassment are rarely persecuted. And when a party official IS involved, the government usually sees a sacking as punishment enough. It will be interesting to see if the blogosphere agrees. 

Read more blogs by Beth Loyd

November 5, 2008 in Beth Loyd | Permalink | User Comments (3)

User Comments

Posted by: Mojopo | Nov 5, 2008 4:57:01 PM

Posted by: privatemale | Nov 6, 2008 12:51:21 AM

Posted by: tom | Nov 6, 2008 7:12:57 AM

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