China BriefingOpinion: China’s robber barons take collusion to a whole new level

Some of China’s political and business elites have lifted the anarchic robber baron ways to another shocking level however, as evidenced by the intensifying public fight between Guo Wengui, an exiled tycoon, and the Chinese government.

Official media reports and a video confession from Ma Jian, a former spy chief, have shown how Ma, formerly a deputy minister at the Ministry of State Security, the Chinese equivalent of the CIA, and another top security official from Hebei ( 河北 ) province, used their formidable power to help Guo usurp wealth from his business rivals and take down his opponents. According to Ma’s confession, he employed the extensive resources of his ministry, which were normally reserved for anti-espionage activities, to help Guo. These included wiretapping, freezing assets, intimidating journalists, and using police and the court to have one of his opponents arrested and jailed. In return, Ma received bribes totalling about 60 million yuan (HK$67.7 million).