Washington Post: Whistleblower Huang Jin'gao Investigated and under Pressure in Fujian Province

Chinese authorities have placed a Communist Party cadre who briefly rose to fame in China by denouncing official corruption under a form of house arrest while authorities investigate his conduct, according to a November 11 report in the Washington Post. Local Communist Party secretary Huang Jingao became frustrated with the lack of higher-level support for his efforts to stem corruption in Lianjiang County, Fujian, and on August 8, 2004, he posted an open letter of complaint on the People's Daily website. Huang accused higher level officials of conspiring to protect corrupt local cadres. For a few days, Huang's contribution to the battle against corruption was widely praised in China.

On August 11, however, Party and government authorities in Fuzhou City issued a statement criticizing Huang for breaching disciplinary rules. "The direct result of his behavior was that it would be used by hostile Western forces, hostile Taiwan forces and dissidents overseas and that it will stir social instability and political instability," the statement said. Using Cultural Revolution style rhetoric, they added that his letter was a "serious political mistake" and that he must carry out a "complete self-examination."