Meng Xuenong
Encyclopedia
Meng Xuenong is a politician of the People's Republic of China
. He was the Governor of Shanxi
province. A native of Penglai
county, Shandong
, Meng had previous provincial-level leadership experience as Mayor of Beijing, until he was dramatically sacked for his failure to control and conceal the SARS epidemic. He is also a member of the 16th CPC Central Committee and a deputy in the 2003-08 National People's Congress
.
(1969–72) during the later stages of the Cultural Revolution
before being assigned to Beijing's No.2 Motor Vehicle Plant. He joined the Communist Party of China
(CPC) in July 1972, rising through the ranks of the Beijing municipal Communist Youth League
(CYL) and the car industry. In 1986 he was transferred to senior posts in the hospitality industry, briefly serving as General Manager of the Beijing Hotel
group. He then spent four years (1991–1995) at the University of Science and Technology of China
, alongside Qiang Wei
(强卫), who has been a consistent colleague. After graduating with an MBA, he became a vice-mayor of Beijing in 1993.
In January 2003 he was appointed deputy Party chief of the CPC Beijing Committee and Mayor of Beijing Municipality. The SARS crisis
hit Beijing sometime in March, and Meng is said to have moved patients between hospitals in a botched cover-up that worsened the outbreak. The Politburo Standing Committee
decided to remove him from his posts on 16 April as part of a double sacking with health minister Zhang Wenkang
. The pair were held responsible both for the public health failure and the damage to trust in the Party. The sacking was described by one journalist as "the biggest political earthquake since the time of Tiananmen in 1989." The harsh treatment was privately questioned by other cadres in Beijing, but they were assured that Meng's co-operative attitude would be rewarded. Five months later, he was quietly created deputy director of the South-North Water Transfer Project
, reporting to the State Council
.
Meng was appointed Vice Secretary of the CPC Shanxi Committee on 30 August 2007 as part of a wider Party reshuffle, and then elected Vice Governor and acting Governor by the Shanxi Provincial People's Congress on 3 September. His fortunes, however, proved short-lived when he resigned on September 14, 2008 after the mudslide in Xiangfen
.
officials and has close personal ties to President Hu Jintao
. As he stated himself, "My career in the CCYL [sic] provided a foundation for my political career later on." At a news conference in January 2003, he portrayed himself as an old friend of Hu, stating "Cadre Jintao was a major leader in the Communist Youth League 20 years ago and some of us worked under his leadership... What I remember most deeply are his fairness, personal integrity and selflessness. Those qualities make up his unique charisma." However, this has been subsequently disputed. Hu allegedly fired his protège in order to remove Zhang, linked to rival Jiang Zemin
. Some reports claimed the mayor was "sacrificed" to protect Liu Qi
. It has even been claimed that Meng is closer to Liu (and thus Jiang) than Hu. However, most commentators saw Meng's return to power as a sign of the tuanpai faction's dominance.
The People's Daily
has portrayed Meng as reformist. He claims his CYL experience helps him stay in touch with young people and remain open-minded. He used to live in Beijing
's Siheyuan
(traditional working-class housing), and kept in touch with his former neighbours, claiming a special understanding of the people. On his election in Taiyuan
, he told delegates, "I will do my utmost best to get familiar with Shanxi and become like a native... [the governorship is] a great honour, but also comes with great responsibility."
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. He was the Governor of Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
province. A native of Penglai
Penglai City
Penglai City , is a port, a town and an administrative subdivision of the prefecture-level city Yantai in Shandong Province, northeastern China. The port was formerly called Dengzhou . Penglai Water City or Water Fortress , a fortified harbor hidden from the sea, is one of China's oldest military...
county, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
, Meng had previous provincial-level leadership experience as Mayor of Beijing, until he was dramatically sacked for his failure to control and conceal the SARS epidemic. He is also a member of the 16th CPC Central Committee and a deputy in the 2003-08 National People's Congress
National People's Congress
The National People's Congress , abbreviated NPC , is the highest state body and the only legislative house in the People's Republic of China. The National People's Congress is held in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China; with 2,987 members, it is the...
.
Career
Meng studied engineering at Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing Normal University
Beijing Normal University , colloqiually known as 北师大 or Beishida, is a public research university located in Beijing with strong emphasis on basic disciplines of humanities and sciences...
(1969–72) during the later stages of the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
before being assigned to Beijing's No.2 Motor Vehicle Plant. He joined the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
(CPC) in July 1972, rising through the ranks of the Beijing municipal Communist Youth League
Communist Youth League
The Communist Youth League of China also known as the China Youth League is a youth movement of the People's Republic of China for youth between the ages of fourteen and twenty-eight, run by Communist Party of China. The league is organized on the party pattern. Its leader is its First Secretary...
(CYL) and the car industry. In 1986 he was transferred to senior posts in the hospitality industry, briefly serving as General Manager of the Beijing Hotel
Beijing Hotel
The Beijing Hotel is a five-star state-owned hotel in the Dongcheng District of Beijing, China.-Overview:It is located at the southern end of Wangfujing Street, at the corner with East Chang'an Avenue, 1.5km from Beijing Railway Station with views of the Forbidden City and part of Tiananmen Square...
group. He then spent four years (1991–1995) at the University of Science and Technology of China
University of Science and Technology of China
The University of Science and Technology of China is a national research university in Hefei, People's Republic of China. It is a member of the C9 League formed by nine top universities in China...
, alongside Qiang Wei
Qiang Wei
Qiang Wei is a politician of the People's Republic of China, and the current secretary of CPC Qinghai committee.He joined the Communist Party of China in March 1975, and graduated from University of Science and Technology of China with a master's degree in economic management...
(强卫), who has been a consistent colleague. After graduating with an MBA, he became a vice-mayor of Beijing in 1993.
In January 2003 he was appointed deputy Party chief of the CPC Beijing Committee and Mayor of Beijing Municipality. The SARS crisis
Progress of the SARS outbreak
-November 2002:On November 16, 2002, an outbreak of what is believed to be severe acute respiratory syndrome , began in the Guangdong province of China, which borders on Hong Kong. The first case of infection was speculated to be a farmer in Foshan County...
hit Beijing sometime in March, and Meng is said to have moved patients between hospitals in a botched cover-up that worsened the outbreak. The Politburo Standing Committee
Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China
The Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China is a committee consisting of the top leadership of the Communist Party of China, whose membership varies between 5 and 9 people. The inner workings of the PSC are not well known, although it is believed that decisions of the PSC are...
decided to remove him from his posts on 16 April as part of a double sacking with health minister Zhang Wenkang
Zhang Wenkang
Zhang Wenkang was the health minister of China during the SARS outbreak who was sacked for mishandling the matter.Zhang was a supporter of former President Jiang Zemin. After he was fired, he was placed in various ceremonial positions.-References:...
. The pair were held responsible both for the public health failure and the damage to trust in the Party. The sacking was described by one journalist as "the biggest political earthquake since the time of Tiananmen in 1989." The harsh treatment was privately questioned by other cadres in Beijing, but they were assured that Meng's co-operative attitude would be rewarded. Five months later, he was quietly created deputy director of the South-North Water Transfer Project
South-North Water Transfer Project
The South-North Water Transfer Project is a multi-decade infrastructure project of the People's Republic of China to better utilize water resources available to China. This is to be achieved through the South North Water Diversion Project...
, reporting to the State Council
State Council of the People's Republic of China
The State Council of the People's Republic of China , which is largely synonymous with the Central People's Government after 1954, is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the Premier and includes the heads of each governmental department and agency...
.
Meng was appointed Vice Secretary of the CPC Shanxi Committee on 30 August 2007 as part of a wider Party reshuffle, and then elected Vice Governor and acting Governor by the Shanxi Provincial People's Congress on 3 September. His fortunes, however, proved short-lived when he resigned on September 14, 2008 after the mudslide in Xiangfen
2008 Shanxi mudslide
The 2008 Shanxi mudslide was caused by the collapse of an unlicensed mine landfill in Xiangfen county, Linfen, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China and killed at least 267 people and injured 34. Around 8:00 a.m...
.
Faction and policies
Meng is a member of the tuanpai faction of former Communist Youth LeagueCommunist Youth League
The Communist Youth League of China also known as the China Youth League is a youth movement of the People's Republic of China for youth between the ages of fourteen and twenty-eight, run by Communist Party of China. The league is organized on the party pattern. Its leader is its First Secretary...
officials and has close personal ties to President Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
. As he stated himself, "My career in the CCYL [sic] provided a foundation for my political career later on." At a news conference in January 2003, he portrayed himself as an old friend of Hu, stating "Cadre Jintao was a major leader in the Communist Youth League 20 years ago and some of us worked under his leadership... What I remember most deeply are his fairness, personal integrity and selflessness. Those qualities make up his unique charisma." However, this has been subsequently disputed. Hu allegedly fired his protège in order to remove Zhang, linked to rival Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
. Some reports claimed the mayor was "sacrificed" to protect Liu Qi
Liu Qi
Liu Qi may refer to:* Emperor Jing of Han, personal name Liu Qi, 6th emperor of the Western Han Dynasty* Liu Qi - oldest son of Eastern Han Dynasty warlord Liu Biao...
. It has even been claimed that Meng is closer to Liu (and thus Jiang) than Hu. However, most commentators saw Meng's return to power as a sign of the tuanpai faction's dominance.
The People's Daily
People's Daily
The People's Daily is a daily newspaper in the People's Republic of China. The paper is an organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China , published worldwide with a circulation of 3 to 4 million. In addition to its main Chinese-language edition, it has editions in English,...
has portrayed Meng as reformist. He claims his CYL experience helps him stay in touch with young people and remain open-minded. He used to live in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
's Siheyuan
Siheyuan
A siheyuan is a historical type of residence that was commonly found throughout China, most famously in Beijing. In English, siheyuan are sometimes referred to as Chinese quadrangles. The name literally means a courtyard surrounded by four buildings...
(traditional working-class housing), and kept in touch with his former neighbours, claiming a special understanding of the people. On his election in Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, he told delegates, "I will do my utmost best to get familiar with Shanxi and become like a native... [the governorship is] a great honour, but also comes with great responsibility."