Sharpening the Blade Against the Red Wall: From Hong Kong to Handong

In a small conference room on the first floor of the main building of the nursing home, the curtains were half-drawn, and the light was soft. The interior was simply furnished, with an oval table and a dozen or so dark-colored chairs. A faint aroma of tea filled the air, but what was stronger was an invisible, slightly oppressive solemnity.

It was exactly 9:00 AM.

Zhou Jin walked into the conference room, followed by Chen Ming, who was taking notes, and a team member. He was still wearing that light gray jacket, his face bearing a calm but serious expression. His gaze swept over the dozen or so attendees who were already seated or had just stood up—older cadres with gray hair and simple clothes, as well as several middle-aged cadres who looked younger but whose brows and eyes showed obvious signs of depression.

"Good morning, comrades and representatives of cadres." Zhou Jin sat down in the main seat. His voice was not loud, but it was clear to everyone. "I am Zhou Jin, the leader of the Ninth Central Inspection Team. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this symposium."

He paused slightly, surveyed the room, his gaze frank yet sharp. "The purpose of inviting everyone here today is simply to gather your honest views and opinions on the current work of Handong Province, especially on some of the recent major decisions of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, cadre personnel policies, and economic and social development. The Central Government sent us down here with the mission of identifying problems and promoting development. And no matter how sharp our inspection team's eyes are, they cannot see more clearly or feel more deeply than those of you here—comrades who have worked in Handong for a long time and know the situation here like the back of your hand."

The conference room was silent, and everyone was looking at Zhou Jin with different expressions.

"Therefore," Zhou Jin's tone became exceptionally solemn, each word clear and forceful, "before we officially begin, I must, and earnestly request, that everyone speak the truth!"

He paused, his gaze sharpening. "I've carefully reviewed the minutes of several recent meetings of the Standing Committee of the Handong Provincial Party Committee. Frankly, the words that appear quite frequently in the minutes are 'I heard,' 'it is said,' 'everyone says,' 'someone says'... and similar phrases."

Zhou Jin tapped her fingers lightly on the table, her voice suddenly rising: "Today, here, we will not allow such a statement to be made!"

His gaze swept over everyone with a tangible intensity: "We've convened this symposium to hear about problems that you've discovered based on your own experiences, firsthand observations, or thorough investigations! Problems that have been investigated or based on hearsay, not vague or hearsay 'rumors'!"

"Today, we'll only speak the objective facts." Zhou Jin slowed her pace, but every word struck a chord. "If it exists, it exists. What are the specific issues? Who is involved? What are the consequences? Please state them honestly and specifically. If it doesn't exist, it doesn't exist. There's no need to agree insincerely or vaguely just to fit in or because you have reservations."

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes filled with encouragement and expectation: "Please believe that our inspection team operates under strict discipline and procedures. All statements will be taken seriously and protected by the organization. We are not here to find fault or criticize; we are here to identify problems, study them, and promote their resolution! The development of Handong requires our joint efforts in planning and our joint supervision and correction."

"Alright," Zhou Jin leaned back in her chair, "that's all for my opening remarks. Now, please feel free to speak. Who wants to start?"

A brief silence fell over the meeting room. It wasn't an awkward silence, but rather a heavy, brewing atmosphere. Several veteran cadres exchanged glances; some subconsciously adjusted their posture, while others picked up their teacups and then put them down again.

Finally, Qian Fuli, who was sitting second to Zhou Jin's left, coughed softly.

The former Party Secretary of Lüzhou City, now over sixty and with a lean face, was wearing a faded blue Zhongshan suit today, his back ramrod straight. He didn't speak immediately, but first took off his reading glasses and carefully wiped them with a velvet cloth, his movements unhurried, as if trying to calm his mind.

After wiping his glasses and putting them back on, Qian Fuli looked up at Zhou Jin with a calm gaze. His voice was not loud, but it carried a deep sorrow that had been building up for many years and was now being expressed without reservation:

"Team Leader Zhou, you just asked us to speak the truth. Well then, I, Qian Fuli, an old man who worked in Handong for forty years and is now retired, will take advantage of my seniority today to offer some words that may be harsh, but are absolutely true!"

All eyes were on him.

"The first issue I want to address is the **personnel selection policy, and a very serious one that has already caused disastrous consequences!**" Qian Fuli got straight to the point, without any hesitation.

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts for greater precision: "After Comrade Sha Ruijin arrived in Handong, he vigorously promoted the so-called 'cadre screening' and 'promotion beyond the usual procedures.' His initial intentions may have been good—to break down some old rules and regulations and promote truly capable people. However, in practice, I personally believe there have been serious deviations!"

His voice rose slightly, tinged with obvious agitation: "Where does the deviation lie? It lies in the one-sided emphasis on 'breaking with convention,' while neglecting the most basic standards and procedures for personnel selection; it lies in the excessive pursuit of so-called 'immediate' 'achievements,' while ignoring the long-term assessment and historical testing of cadres' character and abilities; it lies in treating some normally normal and necessary procedures as 'shackles' and some rigorous and responsible attitudes as 'conservative' in order to establish personal authority and show that one has 'drawn a line' with the past!"

The meeting room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Qian Fuli's words were practically a direct criticism of Sha Ruijin's personnel policies.

He took a breath and continued, "I'm not making baseless accusations. Team Leader Zhou, you just said you wanted to see the facts. So let me state a few facts!"

Qian Fuli looked at Zhou Jin, his eyes sharp: "The first fact is the demolition of the Crescent Lake Food City in Luzhou. Secretary Sha Ruijin personally affirmed this at the Standing Committee meeting, saying it was a 'heroic act of cutting off his own arm' and 'daring to tackle tough issues.' But what's the actual situation? The food city was demolished, but construction waste piled up by the lake for half a year without anyone cleaning it up! A large amount of waste slid into the lake, causing secondary pollution that is far more serious than the original restaurant's sewage discharge! Nearby residents are full of complaints!" He looked at Zhou Jin, "I dare to guarantee with my forty years of Party membership that this situation is absolutely true! You can send someone to the site at any time to see for yourself and ask the local people! This is the 'achievement' left behind in Luzhou by Comrade Yi Xuexi, who was affirmed and promoted exceptionally!"

Seeing that Zhou Jin's expression was calm and he nodded slightly to signal him to continue, he felt even more confident.