Richest man reportedly to join Party leadership

(Global Times)

09:39, September 26, 2011

Liang Wengen
Liang Wengen, China's richest man and chairman of the Hunan-based heavy machinery producer Sany Group, looks set to become the first private entrepreneur to enter the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), media reports said on Sunday.

Both Liang and Tang Xiuguo, president of Sany, confirmed with the Guangzhou-based Time Weekly newspaper last week that the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee had completed the evaluation of Liang.

The Singapore-based Lianhe Zaobao newspaper further elaborated that Liang could be elected as a member or an alternate member of the Central Committee during the 18th CPC National Congress, which will be held in autumn 2012.

"There is a possibility that Liang may be assigned to roles in the Hunan provincial government or the government of the provincial capital Changsha," the Time Weekly quoted a local official as saying, who added that the provincial leadership needs people like Liang who are experienced in enterprise management.

Both the Hurun Report and Forbes listed Liang, 57, as the richest Chinese person this year with a wealth of about $10 billion.

Liang was born into a poor family in a mountain village in Lianyuan county, Hunan. His family made their living by making bamboo handicrafts. In the late 1970s, Liang enrolled in the Central South University to study metallic materials.

He entered the Ministry of Ordnance Industry after graduation and founded Sany in 1987 after leaving the ministry. He became a Party member in 2004, shortly after his company became listed and his fortune grew massively.

A number of renowned businessmen, such as Haier CEO Zhang Ruimin and Chairman of Sinopec Li Yi, have been accepted by the Party leadership. But those companies are either State-owned or connected with the CPC, whereas Liang would be the first person from the private sector.

"Liang's confirmation with Time Weekly meant that preliminary procedures for Liang's possible Party role had been completed, and only a few more steps, including an official announcement, are needed," Liu Suhua, an associate professor of the Political Science and Law Department at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, told the Global Times.
In recent years, the CPC has loosened its criteria on adopting private entrepreneurs, and during the 16th CPC National Congress in 2002, the possibility of accepting private businessmen as Central Committee members was discussed.

Peking University sociologist Xia Xueluan told the Global Times that the changes in policy were a response to calls from CPC leadership that the Party should represent the development trend of China's most advanced productive forces.

"Liang's possible Party role shows that the CPC is moving solidly in that direction, as it is making adjustments to the changing situation in the country," Xia said.

Pu Xingzu, a professor at the School of International Affairs and Public Relations at Fudan University, told Time Weekly that private entrepreneurs have been negatively regarded as "capitalists" for a long time.

"Hence, despite the integral role the private sector has played in the economic development, individuals such as Liang have not reached the social status that they deserve. The adoption of these people into the Party leadership will give them opportunities to represent their interests and help boost the development of the private business sector," Pu said.

However, some people expressed doubts over Liang's possible Party role. Fan Jinggang, founder of the left-wing group Utopia, said that the possible acceptance of Liang by the Central Committee means "private capitalism is penetrating the power base of our socialist country."

Liu voiced concerns that private entrepreneurs who entered the Party leadership would abuse their power. 

"If the entrepreneur is self-disciplined and does not take advantage of his power, or there is an efficient supervision mechanism to monitor his behavior, the market will not be affected. However, we cannot exclude such risks," Liu said.

According to media reports, Liang has kept a relatively low profile despite his status.

During a board meeting in 2009, Liang proposed having only 1 yuan ($0.16) in salary for the year due to the financial crisis. His proposal was accepted and other board members including Tang also cut their income that year by as much as 90 percent.

A village official from Liang's birthplace told Time Weekly that the billionaire had donated millions of yuan to locals for various projects including roads and schools. 

Huang Shaojie, Pang Qi and Ge Lili contributed to this story.


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PD User at 2011-09-2676.124.224.*

Great!The Party needs to include people from business community. We need people with management expertise NOT always politicians, governors and engineers.

McCarthy at 2011-09-26206.125.78.*

Your party will be destroyed from within, once the Capitalist is on the inside he will organize to split the party and make it into a reactionary party, reverting to capitalist greed and class warfare against the workers. This is a grave mistake and may be the end of socialism before it even matures.

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