Chinese official sentenced to death for corruption

Cao Wenzhuang, a former pharmaceutical registration department director at the State Food and Drug Administration in China, has been sentenced to death by the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate Court.  Mr. Cao is accused of accepting over $300,000 in bribes from two pharmaceutical companies who were seeking approval to sell their products. 

Mr. Cao’s sentence comes less than two months after this same court sentenced the head of the State Food and Drug Administration, Zheng Xiaoyu, to death.  Mr. Zheng was sentenced to death in May for taking over $800,000 in bribes to approve substandard medicines, including an antibiotic blamed for at least ten deaths.

Although the sentence may appear harsh, Mr. Cao’s sentence comes with a two-year reprieve, a lighter penalty that may allow him to serve his time as life in prison.  These actions by the Chinese government is also a sign that China is determined to crack down on fraud, corruption, and counterfeiting in the country.  Four other senior food and drug officials were also sentenced to long prison terms.  This comes at a time when China is under increasing international criticism over the quality and safety of its products.

Concerns began when China exported pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical.  Soon after, there were recalls of Chinese toothpaste, blocked imports of some Chinese seafood.

For more information, please see:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/world/asia/06cnd-china.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=385&sid=1177730

Author: Impunity Watch Archive