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![]() FEBRUARY 7, 2000 VOL. 155 NO. 5
Not that the 68-year-old is given to self-promotion. Unlike other high-level Beijing officials, Liu has taken pains to polish her squeaky-clean image, sometimes even abstaining from lavish banquets and cordoning her family off from the outside world. With her frequent pep talks to her investigators on the virtues of a humble, ascetic lifestyle, Liu has made it her mission to take on China's so- called princelings--the pampered children of senior cadres who are often criticized for milking family ties. "She's one of the few people who is respected by both Beijing and the general law-enforcement community," says Ding Xueliang, a research fellow at the Australian National University who tracks corruption in China. "Her integrity is unquestioned." Liu's ethical clarity goes only so far when provincial authorities find out they are targets of her scrutiny. When Liu's colleagues were looking into massive smuggling in Guangdong province two years ago, their cars were tailed. In the Fujian case, investigators complained that local state security agents were tapping their phones. Even if Liu does collect reams of evidence, her discipline commission can only recommend what punishments should be meted out. Decision-making power lies in the hands of Beijing's top leadership. Liu does, however, enjoy the apparent support of both President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister Zhu Rongji. When authorities in Xiamen proved recalcitrant, Zhu reportedly instructed them to hew to Liu's orders. But with the latest scandal lapping dangerously close to a Jiang protégé, the current Beijing party boss Jia Qinglin, Liu could find herself without the high-level backing she needs to do her job. "Ultimately, this case will not be decided on the strength of the evidence," says Tsao King-kwun, a professor of government at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. "It will be a political decision by Jiang on whether to prosecute or not." In the real world, crusading heroines don't always enjoy happy endings. Write to TIME at mail@web.timeasia.com TIME Asia home
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