Sierens China: supplied to the knife

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First star actress Fan Bingbing, now Interpol chief Meng Hongwei: Beijing arrests like in China, as clear signals are understood. Internationally, they give a good picture, says Frank Sieren.

Almost a year ago, Beijing was the host of the General Assembly of Interpol. Meng Hongwei was allowed to stand directly to the left of President Xi Jinping (center)

Many have gerümpft the nose, as Meng Hongwei was appointed in November 2016 as the first Chinese President of Interpol, the most important international police organization in the world. As a high-ranking government representatives of the Communist party, had at home nor the office of the Deputy Minister for public security held, he was under suspicion. Amnesty International Beijing was at the time about to want to the own man at the top of Interpol in the future, according to Chinese dissidents and activists look for what is internally, on the basis of the method is hardly possible. The advocates argued that China is in the world so important, that even a Chinese as head of the international police must be authority.

To rebut the allegations, fact, Meng from the beginning some of the global influence of Interpol, to expand, to integrate all of the Interpol members stronger, and to train the police in developing countries. “Interpol must be the Headquarters for the fight against global crime,” said the newly appointed President at that time.

Disappearances

At the end of September, Meng just disappeared. About two weeks there was no trace of him. On Monday, the Chinese Ministry of Security explained that it was investigating him because of “suspected violations of the law”. Apparently, it goes to bribes. The allegations, however, are vague and non-transparent, as often happens in such cases.

Grace Meng answered journalists ‘ questions in Lyon

Neither Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock, even the wife Mengs, who had reported her husband to the French police as a missing person, got the information. You assume that he was in danger, said the agitated Grace Meng in a press conference on Sunday, in a trembling voice. The last sign of life of her husband had got it from him via Messenger App: Emoji icons in the Form of a drawn knife.

The presumption of innocence plays in China a lesser role. The police detained has less rights, and the rights that he has, he can not always prevail. To be without access to lawyers and relatives is recorded, belongs, unfortunately, to the usual practice, which can meet the population, at most, with gallows humor. According to Mengs, had to Disappear in the Chinese Internet forums are already the joke of the round, he could be burned with Fan Bingbing.

Fan Bingbing on the Red carpet at the Fimfestspielen in Cannes, where she sits in the Jury

The Case Fan Bingbing

The star actress was gone in July, also without a trace. A whole three months we heard nothing from her, no entries in the social networks, and no public appearances. At the beginning of October, the authorities solved the puzzle: The actress was in for tax evasion, in custody. On the Chinese microblogging service Weibo, where her 62 million Fans to follow, provided you ask for an apology: “I am deeply ashamed and feel guilty for what I’ve done.” You accept the punishment and will do their Best to pay the outstanding $ 100 million. So you got away after all, better than the Bayern Munich President, Uli Hoeness, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison and half of them had to dismount. However, the method of Hoeneß was a lot more transparent.

Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness

There is no doubt Within China’s borders that the heavy Hand of the government is mostly good. Especially because Xi Jinping does not shrink back, but also Top politicians to indict. Critics, however, him, he used the lack of transparency for his own political power game. Now a legitimate complaint: The lack of respect for international institutions. The wife of Meng in the dark, what happens with your husband, so that she is forced to turn to the Public, you might dismiss Not as an internal affair of China. But the world police authority about a week in the dark, what happened with your President, is a blatant affront to this Institution, and the water on the mills of those who say, it was still much too early for a Chinese, as the Interpol chief. With this action, Beijing has damaged its international Reputation or, worse still, in the world, signaled that Beijing, the international rules of the game in doubt, and China is simply his way.

DW-columnist Frank Sieren

Who controls the controllers?

Since in the spring, a new state oversight Commission was brought in, Xi. his anti-corruption fight is also even more effective pull-through than before The newly created authority, the reports independently of the courts directly to the Central Committee of the party, has even more extensive powers than those so far assigned to the disciplinary Commission. To make people without trial under “state supervision” is even easier. Who supervises the Supervisors, is not quite clear. At the same time, Beijing’s opaque methods open the door for conspiracy theories. What is accused Meng, will know the Public at some point. Whether the accusations are correct, but is not likely to be also in this case, understandable.

Lu Kang, the spokesman of the Chinese foreign Ministry, said hastily, that China’s commitment to international police work by Mengs “fall” will not be affected. “As a permanent member of the UN security Council and a responsible big power, China will continue to play an appropriate role in international relations,” says Lu. The willingness of China was not affected, may be Yes. The willingness in the West has decreased significantly.

Our columnist Frank Sieren has lived for more than 20 years in Beijing.