Jun 9, 2013
Translated by Pang Lei

The trial of Liu Zhijun (劉志軍), the former Minister of Railways, who was removed from his position as the ministry's Communist Party Secretary in February 2011 on suspicion of "severe disciplinary violations," will begin in Beijing on Jun 9, according to a report carried on the website of the Beijing News.

The article said that lawyer Qian Lieyang (錢列陽), who will be representing Mr. Liu, confirmed that the trial would start in Beijing on Sunday.

The former minister is accused of abusing his position and receiving bribes. The case will be heard by the Beijing No.2 Intermediate People's Court.

Background on the Liu Zhijun Case

According to an earlier EO report, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) decision to investigate Liu was connected to two other investigations into individuals with links to China's railway industry.

The first is that of a Shanxi businesswoman and philanthropist Ding Shumiao (丁書苗), who, according to a Caixin Media report, was taken away for investigation in January this year.

The other is that Luo Jinbao (羅金保), the former chairman of both the China Railway Container Transport Corp. Ltd. (CRCT) and the listed China Railway Tielong Container Logistics Co., Ltd.. The Economic Observer reported on the investigation into Luo Jinbao by the CCDI in early January this year.

The cases revealed that corruption involving vast sums were present in China's high-speed rail sector, with almost 10 billion Chinese yuan involved and multiple listed companies implicated, the reprecussions could go as far as to shake up the organization of the country's railway system.

The EO has also learned that it was when Luo Jinbao's case was first uncovered by the CCDI that serious problems with corruption in the high-speed rail sector, including interference and illegal practice in the awarding of contracts and also the wanton acceptance of bribes, were exposed.

Links and Sources
Beijing News: 劉志軍案周日上午開審 律師將做罪輕辯護
The Economic Observer Online: What Brought China\'s Railway Minister Down?
The Economic Observer Online: How Liu Zhijun Was Able to Get Away With it For So Long