China businessman detained in political intrigue

Chinese police have detained a property developer after he threatened to speak out about a former police chief rumoured to have tried to defect to the United States, his lawyer said Thursday. Chongqing businessman Zhang Mingyu was detained in Beijing on Wednesday after posting on his microblog that he had information to explain "Wang Lijun's jigsaw puzzle", his lawyer told AFP. Wang, vice mayor and former police chief of Chongqing, is famed as one of China's top graft-busters after leading a crackdown that led to scores of senior officials being jailed in the southwestern city of 30 million people. But the ex-policeman, who is linked to one of China's most powerful politicians, disappeared last month after visiting the US consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu, sparking rumours he had sought asylum. The latest development will further fuel speculation surrounding Wang and his boss, Chongqing's colourful but controversial traditionalist Communist Party secretary Bo Xilai, who is trying to join China's top decision-making body. It comes during the annual parliamentary session in Beijing, which is being closely watched for indications of which leaders will join the Politburo Standing Committee later this year, when a major transition of power begins. Zhang's lawyer Pu Zhiqiang told AFP on Thursday that his client had recorded conversations with Wang, in which the policeman warned him against going public with corruption allegations against Weng Zhenjie, the head of several financial institutions in Chongqing. Zhang has reportedly accused Weng of illegally seizing assets in his real estate company and having links to criminal gangs in Chongqing. Pu said Chongqing police detained Zhang at his apartment in Beijing, where state media previously said he has been living since reporting his allegations to the Communist Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Wang, 52, an ethnic Mongolian, was dismissed as police chief last month. Chongqing authorities said he was on leave, receiving "vacation-style treatment" for stress and over-work. But a travel website authorised to display passenger flight details shows Wang flew to Beijing with a top state security officer on February 8. His current whereabouts are not known. AFP calls to Chongqing police on Thursday went unanswered while Beijing police declined to comment. Calls to Weng's organisations were not answered.