State of Mankind

Five: Fatuous and Cruel
5:Corrupting The Military With Sex And Money




Jiang Zemin’s so-called military ideology means absolute obedience to him. As long as the military is politically reliable everything else would be easy for Jiang. Although the military expenditures had been on the rise, its performance had been on the decline, and failed to meet the standards of the CMC.
Violation of law and disciplines remained high. There continues to be a stream of incidences such as desertions and prohibited use of weapons.



But the military, instead, spent its resources towards the vigorous promotion of a large scale weight loss campaign, for military officers and cadres. The participants were financially rewarded. Those who managed to lose 5 kilograms would be rewarded 1-2 thousand yuan. Seven and a half kilograms of weight reduction met with rewards of 2-5 thousand yuan.
And ten kilograms reduction, 5-10 thousand yuan.



Under Jiang’s leadership, the military involved itself in the sex industry to an extent never seen before. The General Staff Dept., General logistics Dept., and General Political Dept. of the PLA found themselves wrapped up in the pleasure of sex and sensual indulgence. For example, as of 1995, 15 recreation venues were being run by the agencies under the control of Third Division of General Staff Dept., employing 476 escort hostesses, all of which competed to provide high-rank officials with erotic pleasures.



These pleasure-proferring outlets were divided into three classes, top grade, high grade, and second high grade.
Top-grade and high-grade establishments were equipped with clinics with highly qualified military doctors, emergency medical units, and ambulances. Top grade class even operated Z-nine helicopters for emergencies. The development of these clubs, guesthouses, hotels, and holiday resorts reached its peak in 1997.



In the top grade clubs, guest houses, and holiday resorts customers were provided 24/7 year-round service.
The high grade and second high-grade outlets were entertaining at full capacity every day of the year.



The interior design and decoration of these venues were luxurious and exquisite. The service attendants, assistant managers, nursing attendants were all unmarried young women. Those selected had to go through political screening, as it was called, and had to go through training in culture, literary art, etiquette, and public relations.



A variety of services were provided to patrons depending on their ranks. Those holding honorary club cards, which means lifetime membership, needed only to sign their names, expenses incurred on food, drinks, and other pleasures were on the house.



All along there had been strong objections to the corruptive, lustful establishments from the CCP members and military staff. The degenerated practices were seriously affecting military morale. Furthermore, young women were committing suicide after being raped at nightclubs, guesthouses, and holiday resorts.



In the year 2000, the Central CCP was compelled to ban these military clubs, following the resolution to rectify the characters of the Party, a measure adopted at the sixth CCP Plenary Conference. Most of these military recreational services were developed in the 90s, after Jiang Zemin became the Chairman of the CMC.



Many senior generals, such as Hong Xue-zhi, Xiao Keh, Liao Han-sheng, Yang Cheng-wu, and Yang Bai-bing had expressed a strong disapproval of Jiang’s corruptive management of the military. Jiang for his part regarded them as thorns on his side, yet he feared they would join forces to oppose him.
Not daring to use hardline tactics, he used a soft approach to handle them.



Jiang planned to give every general a promotion before asking them to retire, and surrender their military power.
Jiang would then bring in his clique and take over things. To consolidate his position in the military, Jiang would batch by batch promote those officials who pledged loyalty to him.
By this means, he instituted a major blood change in the military.



In July of 2001, Jiang ordered to issue special subsidy to 332 widows of deseased senior CCP statesmen, and generals.
The subsidies were intended to silence any objections the widows may voice. Over 50 widows requested that the money be donated to impoverished college students in Northwestern China, who couldn’t afford tuitions. The remaining 270 widows accepted the special subsidies. After that Jiang seemed more at peace.



By the eve of the Chinese New Year of 2002, the Central Organizational Ministry,headed by Zeng qing-hong, had to raise 20million yuan from confidential sources. The money was distributed under the pretense, that Jiang in his capacity as Chairman, cared and concerned for veteran cadres.
It was extended selectively to those who had much power, who could potentially affect voting in the forthcoming the 16th CCP National Congress, and who had frequently objected to, and hindered Jiang and Zeng.



Sun Zi’s Art Of War says, that if the commander in chief of an army is incompetent, yet eager to show off, greedy for power, greedy for wealth, fearful, unable to keep his word, cruel, or selfish, then his army will meet with failure. Jiang Zemin, the Chairman of China’s Military Commission, upon a close look, is found to have all of these traits. As such, it should come as little surprise, the armed forces under Jiang were rife with corruption and weakness. Could such a military guard its homeland and protect its nation from foreign aggression?
How unfortunate this is, indeed, for China as a nation.