Zhou Yongkang
Encyclopedia
Zhou Yongkang is a senior leader of the Communist Party of China
who is currently serving as the 9th ranked member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee, and the head of the Central Political and Legislative Committee
, an organ directing central government legal policy and the legislative agenda.
He was a State Councillor
until March 2008 and is a member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
. He was mayor of Panjin
in Liaoning
Province from 1983 until 1985, served prominently as the Minister of Public Security
of the People's Republic of China
and thus chief of the Ministry of Public Security from 2002 to 2007.
, Jiangsu Province. In November 1964 he joined the CPC
and entered the workforce in September 1966. He graduated from the Survey and Exploration Department of Beijing Petroleum Institute majoring in geophysical survey and exploration. As a university graduate he holds the title Senior Engineer with a rank equivalent to that of Professor.
During the 1960s and 70s he spent most of his career in the petroleum
(oil) sector and by the mid-1980s he was vice minister of the Petroleum Industry
and from 1996 General Manager of China National Petroleum Corporation
. In 1998 he was Minister of Land and Resources and in 1999, secretary of the Communist Party of China
Sichuan Provincial Committee. During his tenure as Minister of Public Security, he was a reformer of China's policing system, aiming to create a more professional police force, even going as far as to fire several hundred police officers for drinking problems. His time in Sichuan and as Public Security Minister made him noticed by the party's central authority, and in 2007 he was transferred to fill the vacancy of Luo Gan
who retired in the party's political and legislative affairs committee, having ultimate authority with state security
forces. As a result, even though he is ranked last in the PSC's hierarchy, it is not an indication of his actual power
.
quoted a contact that claimed Zhou Yongkang and fellow Politburo Standing Committee member Li Changchun
oversaw Beijing's cyber attack against Google
. However, such claim has been called into question, as according to The New York Times, the person who was cited in the cable denied knowing who had directed the hacking attack. According to The New York Times, the person who was cited in the cable described a campaign coordinated by the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China’s director, Liu Yunshan
, and, in several occasions, Mr. Li and Mr. Zhou issued approvals. But he said he "had no direct knowledge linking them to the hacking attack aimed at securing commercial secrets or dissidents’ e-mail accounts". James Fallows of The Atlantic questioned the accuracy of such claim. He noted "[e]ven the author of the State Department cable is careful to say that the U.S. government cannot confirm the report".
Other cables also cite the source as saying it was "well known" that Zhou Yongkang controlled the state monopoly of the oil sector.
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...
who is currently serving as the 9th ranked member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee, and the head of the Central Political and Legislative Committee
Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the Communist Party of China Central Committee
The Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the Communist Party of China Central Committee is the organization under the Communist Party of China Central Committee responsible for political and legal affairs...
, an organ directing central government legal policy and the legislative agenda.
He was a State Councillor
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...
until March 2008 and is a member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is the highest authority within the Communist Party of China. Its approximately 350 members and alternates are selected once every five years by the National Party Congress....
. He was mayor of Panjin
Panjin
Panjin is a prefecture-level city and a major oil-producing city in Liaoning Province, China. It is between 40°40' -41°27' in north latitude and 121°31' -122 °28' in east longitude. It has four distinct seasons, an annual average temperature of 8.6℃ and receives over 2700 hours of sunshine a year...
in Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
Province from 1983 until 1985, served prominently as the Minister of Public Security
Minister of Public Security of the People's Republic of China
The Minister of Public Security of the People's Republic of China is a high level official of the PRC government. The minister is in charge of the Ministry of Public Security of the PRC, which is responsible for law enforcement, public safety and the police force in China...
of the People's Republic of China
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...
and thus chief of the Ministry of Public Security from 2002 to 2007.
Biography
Born in December 1942, Zhou Yongkang is a native of WuxiWuxi
Wuxi is an old city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. Split in half by Lake Tai, Wuxi borders Changzhou to the west and Suzhou to the east. The northern half looks across to Taizhou across the Yangtze River, while the southern half also borders the province of Zhejiang to the south...
, Jiangsu Province. In November 1964 he joined the CPC
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...
and entered the workforce in September 1966. He graduated from the Survey and Exploration Department of Beijing Petroleum Institute majoring in geophysical survey and exploration. As a university graduate he holds the title Senior Engineer with a rank equivalent to that of Professor.
During the 1960s and 70s he spent most of his career in the petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
(oil) sector and by the mid-1980s he was vice minister of the Petroleum Industry
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
and from 1996 General Manager of China National Petroleum Corporation
China National Petroleum Corporation
China National Petroleum Corporation is a state-owned fuel-producing corporation and the largest integrated oil and gas company in the People's Republic of China...
. In 1998 he was Minister of Land and Resources and in 1999, secretary of 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...
Sichuan Provincial Committee. During his tenure as Minister of Public Security, he was a reformer of China's policing system, aiming to create a more professional police force, even going as far as to fire several hundred police officers for drinking problems. His time in Sichuan and as Public Security Minister made him noticed by the party's central authority, and in 2007 he was transferred to fill the vacancy of Luo Gan
Luo Gan
Luo Gan is a former member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China and former Political and Legislative Affairs Committee secretary of the People's Republic of China.-Biography:...
who retired in the party's political and legislative affairs committee, having ultimate authority with state security
State Security
State Security can refer to:* general concepts of security agency or national security* Committee for State Security * State Security * State Security...
forces. As a result, even though he is ranked last in the PSC's hierarchy, it is not an indication of his actual power
Political power
Political power is a type of power held by a group in a society which allows administration of some or all of public resources, including labour, and wealth. There are many ways to obtain possession of such power. At the nation-state level political legitimacy for political power is held by the...
.
Controversy from leaked diplomatic cables by Wikileaks
In December 2010, one of the leaked United States diplomatic cablesUnited States diplomatic cables leak
The United States diplomatic cables leak, widely known as Cablegate, began in February 2010 when WikiLeaks—a non-profit organization that publishes submissions from anonymous whistleblowers—began releasing classified cables that had been sent to the U.S. State Department by 274 of its consulates,...
quoted a contact that claimed Zhou Yongkang and fellow Politburo Standing Committee member Li Changchun
Li Changchun
Li Changchun is the Propaganda chief of the Communist Party of China. He is the 5th ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, China's de facto top power organ, and has been a member since 2002...
oversaw Beijing's cyber attack against Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
. However, such claim has been called into question, as according to The New York Times, the person who was cited in the cable denied knowing who had directed the hacking attack. According to The New York Times, the person who was cited in the cable described a campaign coordinated by the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China’s director, Liu Yunshan
Liu Yunshan
-Biography:Liu worked in Inner Mongolia for 20 years, beginning with his appointment there in 1968.Mr. Liu is the Director of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. But because of party seniority, he serves behind Li Changchun...
, and, in several occasions, Mr. Li and Mr. Zhou issued approvals. But he said he "had no direct knowledge linking them to the hacking attack aimed at securing commercial secrets or dissidents’ e-mail accounts". James Fallows of The Atlantic questioned the accuracy of such claim. He noted "[e]ven the author of the State Department cable is careful to say that the U.S. government cannot confirm the report".
Other cables also cite the source as saying it was "well known" that Zhou Yongkang controlled the state monopoly of the oil sector.