中南海红二代的海外人生揭秘：账谁结 ？名怎藏 ？责谁挡 ？｜杨兰兰｜红二代｜太子党｜腐败捞钱｜巴拿马文件｜裸官｜新闻大写 20250815

Hehehe Wang Ju’s Slap-the-Table is back with a new update. Hello everyone. Today we’re going to talk about— what’s the launch code for China’s nuclear bomb? The nuclear bomb code is 530615. This info came from— a secret document that just mysteriously appeared on my desk. Miss. Are you alright? The boss has been worried sick. Why did it take so long to get you out? Couldn’t help it. Miss. This thing’s gotten pretty big now. We had to pull a lot of strings. And spend quite a bit of money. Then I won’t ask my family for living expenses next month. That works, right? Eh, I know it’s not a lot of money anyway. But online they’re saying we gave Australia another loan— and also bought apples from Australia. Really? What do you think? These things… they don’t sound good, right? The boss was really mad. Told you to go home and reflect. Actually, I did reflect in there yesterday. And I figured out a big truth. That’s great, Miss. Tell me, what truth did you find? In foreign countries, if you drink and drive— it’s freaking illegal. Hehehe. Smart, right? This morning, the Yang Lanlan case— was heard at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court. Journalists packed the gallery with long and short lenses. All waiting for Yang Lanlan. But instead of Yang herself— she appeared via remote video link. According to reports from the hearing— she neither showed up in person— nor pleaded guilty or not guilty. She just said she wasn’t ready to make a statement. The whole session lasted just a few minutes. Of course, cases like this— usually have a quick first hearing in Australia. The judge postponed the trial— to September 26th. And that’s it. The much-anticipated drunk driving luxury car case’s first hearing ended in a hurry. The mystery of Yang Lanlan’s background remains unsolved. And discussion of her is still completely censored online in China. Her story isn’t an isolated case. It’s just the tip of the iceberg of the secret lives of CCP elites’ children abroad. Over the years— wealth and children from top families in Zhongnanhai have poured overseas. From family trusts in Hong Kong’s Central to shell companies in the British Virgin Islands— to luxury school-district homes in Sydney, Vancouver, New York— generation after generation of high-ranking CCP offspring— when needed— can easily switch— to a legitimate foreign identity. And quietly leave China with massive family assets. For a long time— China’s top elite families have quietly built influence both at home and abroad. Forming a vast overseas “red inheritance” network. Hi everyone, I’m Zhang Gousheng. Today, I’ll take you through these clues— to see how the overseas lives of the “red second generation” unfolded step by step. Let’s go back to late summer, 1948. In the hall of an international club in Harbin— at a banquet— glasses clinking— lively atmosphere— a special farewell party for overseas study was underway. The stars were 21 young people about to study in the Soviet Union. All children of high-ranking cadres. Later, they got a code name— 4821. The send-off guests were all big names. Gao Gang, Lin Biao, Chen Yun, Li Fuchun— each one a hot figure right before the founding of the PRC. They patted the young people’s shoulders— and gave them a heartfelt military order. Study in the Soviet Union— remember three rules: no dating— no politics— and only study engineering honestly. Why? Because the motherland needs electrification. New China was in ruins. They desperately needed technical talent for construction. And these red heirs carried high hopes— with a mission to serve the country after graduation. The surnames on that list— were all prominent. Ye Jianying’s daughter, Ye Chumei— Zou Taofen’s son, Zou Jiahua. Luo Yinong’s son, Luo Xibei. And the most high-profile connection of them all— Zhou Enlai’s adopted son, Li Peng. At the end of 1949— when Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai visited Moscow— they made a point to meet these students at the Chinese embassy. And personally wrote them an inscription— “Serve the People, Work Hard.” It’s said this scene was later treated as gospel by many Red Second Generation kids— considered the true family motto. But history loves to play jokes. A little over a decade later— China and the Soviet Union fell out. The Cultural Revolution broke out. Those Soviet-returned students— overnight went from “pillars of the nation” to targets to be taken down. The so-called “4821 Soviet Spy Case” exploded. These 20 or so innocent people were all labeled Soviet spies. Some were locked in cowsheds for struggle sessions. Some were put in solitary for investigation. The torment dragged on endlessly—like Louis XVI’s long suffering. This wrongful case wasn’t redressed until after Reform and Opening in 1981. Those young overseas students finally stepped back into the daylight. Li Peng, under Hu Yaobang’s leadership— was directly promoted to Minister of Electric Power. Skyrocketing in one step. You could say from 1940 to 1945— that group of Red students studying abroad carried a strong mark of the era. They left the country— not to find an escape route— but to fulfill orders and get credentials. Returning after graduation— to serve New China’s needs. Unfortunately, the winds changed— and they couldn’t all serve as planned. Some nearly became victims of political struggle. Fast forward— after the disaster of the Cultural Revolution— China’s connection with the outside world was almost cut off. But soon, history’s wheel turned in a new direction. After the thaw in China-U.S. relations in the 1970s— the CCP leadership began reconsidering sending children to study in the West. In late spring 1974, under Premier Zhou Enlai’s direct attention— the Foreign Ministry got Mao Zedong’s approval— and carefully picked five middle school students— to become the first official group sent to study in the U.S. since 1949. Each of the five had major family ties. The youngest was 12-year-old Hong Huang. The oldest was not yet 14-year-old Zhang Qiyue. Hong Huang’s mother, Zhang Hanzhi— was Mao Zedong’s English translator at the time. She later remarried Foreign Minister Qiao Guanhua. Zhang Qiyue’s father, Zhang Shu, was a senior Chinese diplomat— who served as ambassador to Japan. The other students— also had deep backgrounds. This bold experiment— let Red offspring see the world from a young age— learn English— and prepare for China’s future dealings with the West. At first, Hong and the other four kids— were placed in a private school in Greenwich, New York State. Imagine— in the mid-70s— a group of teens fresh out of the Cultural Revolution— walking into an American capitalist school. The culture shock was huge. According to Hong’s recollections— when they first got to the U.S. school— their minds were blown. Teachers and students joked around— no Chinese-style sternness. You could sit on the floor in class— chew gum and be totally casual. Even at the opening ceremony— a wild-haired guy came in with a guitar— playing harmonica and singing. The kids joined him in singing right there in the hall. Later she found out that guy was American folk legend Bob Dylan. Two years later— in early 1977— these kids finished their U.S. studies and returned to China— to complete high school. Hong’s later life was even more colorful. After Reform and Opening— she entered Vassar College in New York— to study international politics. By 25, she was the chief rep of a foreign company in Nanjing— earning $70,000 a year. In the 1980s— that was astronomical— enough to buy two 100㎡ apartments in Beijing’s Second Ring. And Zhang Qiyue, who went with Hong to the U.S.— later became head of the Foreign Ministry’s Information Department. You could say that this small group in the 70s— these pioneering Red Second Generation students— reflected the subtle shift in the CCP’s top leadership after the Cultural Revolution— wanting their kids to see the West and learn real skills— to pave the way for China’s integration into the world. Of course, these opportunities were still reserved for the children of the top elite families. Ordinary officials and regular folks were nowhere near getting that kind of treatment. Once we got into the 1980s— Chinese society’s thinking became more and more open. Even regular officials started sending their kids overseas in big numbers. By the 1990s— the study-abroad map for CCP elite kids had totally changed. Destinations shifted from Moscow to New York, Cambridge, and Silicon Valley. The fields of study moved from traditional electrical and hydraulic engineering— to hot new favorites like financial engineering, computer science, and MBAs. The logic of “train and return to build socialism” quietly changed— into “polish your resume with prestige.” Build international connections. Be ready to inherit the family business later. Back then— almost every top leader had kids— shuttling between elite schools in Europe and the U.S. These “Red Second Gen” kept a low profile abroad— but still left traces. Let’s look at a few typical cases. Jiang Mianheng— son of then-CCP leader Jiang Zemin. Studied in the U.S. in the mid-1980s. In 1991, he earned a PhD in electronic engineering from Drexel University. Back in China, he rode the wave of the 90s electronics boom— and founded Shanghai Grace Semiconductor. He even partnered with Wang Wenyang, son of Taiwan chip tycoon Wang Yung-ching. People jokingly called him the “godfather” of China’s IT industry. Zhu Yunlai—son of former Premier Zhu Rongji—majored in meteorology in undergrad. Then got a PhD in atmospheric physics from the University of Wisconsin— and later a master’s in accounting from the University of Chicago. After returning to China— he was handpicked by Wang Qishan, then a CITIC executive— to join China International Capital Corporation. In 2004, he became CEO and led the firm for ten years— turning it into China’s top investment bank at the time. Wen Yunsong—son of former Premier Wen Jiabao— first got an engineering degree at Beijing Institute of Technology— then went to Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management for his MBA. After returning— he started in the network equipment business— then quickly moved into investment— founding New Horizon Capital— one of the later-famous Taizi Funds. Of course, many are most curious about Xi Mingze. As Xi Jinping’s only child— very little is known about her. Information is scarce. According to media reports— she studied under a pseudonym at Harvard in 2010. Kept an extremely low profile. Only a few classmates knew her real identity. A 2015 *New Yorker* article by Evan Osnos wrote— that Xi graduated in 2014 with a psychology major— and didn’t receive any special academic treatment. She graduated smoothly. Some classmates— described her as humble and hardworking— hardly looking like a “red princess.” As for where she went after graduation— and what job she took— no reliable info has leaked. On the surface— the overseas study experiences of Red Second Gen— don’t look much different from regular international students. Take TOEFL, apply to top schools— get good grades— get the diploma— and follow the standard path step by step. But the real divide often comes at the job-hunting stage after graduation. Ordinary returnees may face resumes disappearing into a void and endless rejections. While for the Red Second Gen— their resumes seem to come with a built-in express lane to Wall Street or multinational giants. Take Wen Jiabao’s family, for example— he has one son, Wen Yunsong— and one daughter, Wen Ruchun. Both got their master’s degrees in the U.S. With the glow of Ivy League credentials— their careers took off smoothly— beyond what most could imagine. Wen Ruchun— after graduating in the U.S.— first worked at legendary Wall Street bank Lehman Brothers. Unfortunately, she hit the 2008 subprime crisis— and Lehman went bankrupt. She was briefly unemployed. But that small setback didn’t stop her. Soon— she joined Credit Suisse First Boston. Not long after— she returned to China in glory— and founded a consulting firm in Beijing called Fullmark. I’ll just translate that as “Full Pot & Bowl” company. Remember this “Full Pot & Bowl” company— we’ll talk about it later. Looking at the big picture, many Red Second Gen follow the same path— elite school credentials, Wall Street internships— jobs at multinationals— then coming back to start a business. Each step seems normal— but each step has its own hidden boost. Behind all this— there’s long been an unspoken— but extremely efficient talent pipeline at work. Top Western universities are happy to admit children of CCP elites— partly for their family background— and the huge donations or resources they might bring to the school and classmates. On the other hand— these kids really have received good education from a young age— and can hold their own in many areas. Multinational companies are eager to give them internships and jobs— as a way to connect with China’s power elite network. From the perspective of Western firms— these young people are basically gold mines waiting to be tapped. There’s both the normal market logic of talent selection— and a tacit element of money-for-influence deals. Hello. You’re here for the interview today, right? Harvard graduate, huh? Very nice. But I see your major doesn’t quite match our requirements. Let me ask you a few questions first. What are the three types of risk for an ETF? Uh… uh… Can’t remember. That’s okay. Next—what key transaction patterns should a financial institution monitor for AML? Uh… uh… Sorry. You don’t even know the basics— “My father is Wen Jiabao.” No problem—those questions I asked just now weren’t the right ones. Given your overall profile— you fit perfectly with our hiring standards. And you don’t need to go through the rest of the interview rounds. You can start tomorrow. Would 10 million work for you? Sure. Pretty cheap, actually. I’ll have someone wire it to your company account tomorrow. Next—Zhang Gousheng, right? And your father is…? My dad? He’s a farmer. What did you have for lunch? Noodles. Sorry— our employees only eat rice. Next! I’ve got a master’s degree too— can’t you give me a chance? Nope, nope—get out. Around 2013— a U.S. securities investigation— lifted the lid on just part of the iceberg. At the time, the SEC— uncovered a huge scandal in the Asian finance sector. It was JPMorgan’s “Sons and Daughters” program. In internal emails obtained by investigators— one executive openly wrote in a compliance form— that hiring a certain connected candidate— would strengthen ties with that client— and secure their advisory role on a $500 million IPO. In specific cases revealed by the media— the most notable was— Gao Jue, son of a senior Chinese commerce official. Even though interviewers called him one of the worst analyst candidates they’d ever seen— he was still hired. Reportedly— his father Gao Hucheng offered to “do more for the bank” when his son faced layoffs. On Wall Street— in the eyes of these savvy sharks— hiring such connected people is worth it. Because down the line, the bank might land— a multi-hundred-million-dollar deal because of it. And indeed, that’s what happened. The SEC later found— that from 2006 to 2013— JPMorgan’s Asia branch hired about 200 connected employees under this program. Nearly 100 of them were recommended by over 20 Chinese SOEs and government officials. Besides Gao Jue— names disclosed by the media included Tang Xiaoning, son of Everbright Group’s chairman— and Zhang Xixi, daughter of the former deputy chief engineer of the Ministry of Railways. After it all came to light— U.S. regulators launched a deep investigation. In the face of overwhelming evidence— JPMorgan had to admit fault— and settle with U.S. authorities— paying a huge $264 million fine. To avoid prosecution. The case was a wake-up call for Wall Street. Some joked— JPMorgan was just unlucky— being the first to get caught. In reality— every big investment bank has done this kind of thing. They just happened to get nailed this time. In fact, countless reports have pointed out— that Goldman Sachs, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, and others have all quietly done similar things. JPMorgan just hit the landmine. And in more creative cases— there were even hidden, indirect ways of transferring benefits. The SEC investigation also found— From 2006 to 2008— JPMorgan used a shell company owned by a Red Second Gen— to funnel benefits to a senior official’s family. That company was none other than— the “Full Pot & Bowl” consulting firm in Beijing registered by Wen Ruchun. For three years, JPMorgan paid Full Pot & Bowl— $75,000 a month in “consulting fees”— totaling about $1.8 million. In exchange, they were really just buying access to the Wen family’s network in China— opening doors for JPMorgan in various projects. Inside JPMorgan, they even gave this arrangement— the very blunt nickname “taking care of the senior official’s kid.” And this was just the tip of the iceberg. According to *The New York Times*— Wall Street’s major financial firms had long been courting China’s elite offspring. It had become a whole trend. This kind of absurd drama— if it weren’t written in black and white in an SEC investigation report— you’d hardly believe it. And yet it was flourishing in modern finance. For the Red Second Gen themselves— this kind of starting point was a gift from heaven. Many of them later chose to return to China— becoming capital tycoons. Quite a few simply stayed overseas— fully integrating into the global capital network— active on the international investment stage. Some even used the financial rules they learned in the West— to help their families grab international wealth. Wen Jiabao’s son Wen Yunsong was one of the early movers in this game. As early as 2005— at just 37 years old, Wen gathered resources— to set up a private equity fund in Beijing— New Horizon Capital. Its seed funding mainly came from abroad. Reportedly— Japan’s SoftBank SBI Holdings— and Singapore’s Temasek sovereign fund were the main backers. Foreign investors clearly understood Wen’s background and potential. Singapore’s enthusiasm was especially notable. Insiders revealed— that Singaporean state firms and funds— not only invested in Wen’s New Horizon— but also in the fund launched by Jiang Zemin’s grandson Jiang Zhicheng. This sword— forged from both power and capital— also carried risks. Some savvy foreign investors privately worried— about what they called “headline risk”— fearing that if one day— a deal involving a Princeling fund hit the global front pages— their own institutions would be caught in the storm. After all, Western firms are under their own laws— and bribery allegations could bring lawsuits— hurt share prices— invite shareholder anger— and ruin reputations. When the Bo Xilai scandal broke in 2012— these fears peaked. Bo’s only son, Bo Guagua, had his lavish overseas student life exposed— triggering intense Western scrutiny and skepticism about the Red Second Gen. Under pressure— Bo Xilai rushed to issue a statement via Xinhua— claiming Guagua’s tuition and living expenses from Harrow to Oxford to Harvard— came from only two sources— his own scholarships— and his mother’s earnings as a lawyer and writer. He dismissed rumors of Guagua driving a Ferrari in Beijing as complete nonsense. But the media clearly didn’t buy it. They quickly found holes in his story. The *Daily Telegraph* revealed an unflattering episode from Guagua’s Oxford days— that he neglected his studies— due to a party lifestyle— and was once suspended— nearly expelled. At the time, Bo Xilai had Chinese diplomats in the UK intervene with Oxford on Guagua’s behalf— putting the ancient university in an awkward position. This was a far cry from Bo’s portrayal of his son earning scholarships purely by merit. Harrow School told the press— their scholarships only covered about 5% of tuition— and they never gave a full-ride scholarship. Put the pieces together— and it’s pretty clear— Bo’s claims were as shaky as a thief swinging on a swing—trying to fool people. The huge costs of his UK schooling— were unlikely to come purely from scholarships. Bo’s statement was basically nonsense. So where did Guagua’s money come from? The answer came in 2013— when the Jinan court tried Bo Xilai. Trial records showed testimony from Xu Ming, boss of Dalian Shide— who said he had long covered the Bo family’s overseas expenses— including Guagua’s plane tickets, lodging, and credit card bills. They even listed details of the debts Xu paid off for Guagua. From November 2011 to January 2012— just three months—Xu paid 335,400 yuan in credit card bills for Guagua. In a written statement, Gu Kailai also admitted— that Xu Ming had for years covered her and Guagua’s travel costs. Even the villa in southern France was paid for by Xu. And Bo Xilai knew all about it. After these incidents— some cautious investors— quietly began lowering their expectations for Red-background returns. But the lure of money was still impossible to resist. After a brief pause— more international capital— continued to flood into projects linked to the Red Second Gen. After all, when the promised returns are high enough— few can truly say no. Jiang Zhicheng, grandson of Jiang Zemin, founded Boyu Capital— a private equity firm launched in 2010— which in just a few years— took part in the restructuring of Cinda Asset Management, one of China’s big four AMCs— and got a slice of Alibaba’s massive 2014 IPO feast— earning huge returns for its investors. Opportunities like Cinda—state-owned financial fat— and Alibaba—a trillion-yuan unicorn destined to skyrocket— are things regular folks wouldn’t dare dream of. But Boyu scooped them up as if picking fruit from a tree. No one believes— a new fund without deep connections— could break into such monopolized industries so quickly. As Reuters quoted one investor who joined Boyu’s fundraising— “We didn’t invest because his track record was so great— but because of who his grandfather is.” One blunt sentence— puncturing the pretense. What I just described about grooming children is only part of the Red family’s overseas plan. A more direct motive is moving and protecting massive family wealth. Top CCP officials know all too well the cruelty of the power game— today you’re a powerful “lord”— tomorrow you could be in prison. Your property seized. Our viewers from last episode will get it. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, via offshore leaks— revealed that at least five current or former— members of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee have immediate family with secret offshore companies. The Politburo Standing Committee is the very top of China’s power pyramid— once nine members— now just seven. This shows— just how eager the Red elite are to move their money abroad. These offshore firms— are mostly registered in the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, or the Cook Islands—tax havens. The real beneficiaries hide behind layers of agents and trusts— impossible to trace without deep digging. In 2016, the Panama Papers leak— gave the public a glimpse of the iceberg. The files revealed that Li Xiaolin—daughter of former Premier Li Peng— had registered an offshore company called Cofic Investments in the BVI— back in 1994 through Mossack Fonseca. She used bearer shares— to hide her shareholder identity for 20 years. Until 2014— when the BVI government tightened regulations— and abolished bearer shares— Li and her husband hurriedly had a Liechtenstein foundation hold their shares instead. Mossack’s records show— when they finally realized this client— was the famous Li Peng’s daughter— it had already been 20 years since the structure was set up. Another case—Li Zidan, granddaughter of former CPPCC Chairman Jia Qinglin— was quite the business prodigy. At just 18— while a freshman at Stanford— she secretly owned Harvest Sun Trading in the BVI. Through it, she held about $300,000 in shares in two Beijing companies. Her Chinese name appeared in no public documents— everything hidden behind offshore shareholders. For an 18-year-old to organize such a complex cross-border setup— is truly gifted. Red families are highly skilled in using offshore finance tools. Their favorite method is using Hong Kong as a springboard— taking advantage of the system differences in capital flow— first moving huge sums to Hong Kong— then having Hong Kong intermediaries set up offshore companies or trusts. By the end of 2015— Mossack Fonseca— had registered 16,300 offshore companies in Hong Kong and mainland China— 29% of their total active companies worldwide. The Hong Kong branch was once their busiest office globally. In other words— Greater China is one of the world’s biggest markets for hiding offshore assets. And many Red elites— use Hong Kong’s professional fixers— to keep moving assets abroad. Clients like Li Xiaolin— up until the scandal broke— were never fully identified by their agents. It’s thanks to this convenience and cover— that the Red Second Gen’s treasure-hiding road overseas stays wide open. Untouchable. Why are these families so keen to move money overseas? Let’s look at the scale and sources of their domestic wealth-grabbing. Sorry— I’ll have to use Wen Jiabao’s family as an example again. In 2012— *The New York Times* published a year-long investigation— that stunningly revealed the Wen family’s hidden empire. During Wen’s time in power from 2003 to 2013— His immediate family, through a tangled web of companies and agents— accumulated at least $2.7 billion in hidden assets. Of course, Wen Jiabao himself held no assets under his own name— but his elderly mother, wife, children, brother, and brother-in-law all became extremely wealthy during his tenure. Especially Wen Jiabao’s nearly 90-year-old mother— a retired schoolteacher— who somehow held shares in Ping An Insurance. In 2007, those shares were worth $120 million. Through distant relatives and hidden partnerships— the Wen family controlled large stakes in Ping An. In 2007, the total market value of those shares was about $2.2 billion. All these holdings were concealed behind carefully designed layers of relationships— with no trace of the surname “Wen” on the surface. The Wen family is no exception—same for the Li Peng, Chen Yun, Ye Jianying, and Zeng Qinghong families. All of them seized on the economic boom of reform and opening-up— to reap massive profits in China’s economy— and then scattered their wealth to corners around the world. Once the wealth is moved abroad— it’s only natural to arrange safe identities and residences for the family. The “golden visa” programs in many Western countries have become prime targets— for Red Second Gen and China’s high-net-worth individuals. In the U.S., the EB-5 investor immigration program was once dominated by Chinese applicants— with annual quotas always oversubscribed— until recent years when— investment thresholds rose and screening tightened, cooling it slightly. Canada’s investor immigration drew tens of thousands of wealthy Chinese in the 2010s— while the golden visa lists of the UK, Portugal, and Spain— likewise feature plenty of Chinese names. For the Red elite— a foreign passport or permanent residency— is a double insurance for family wealth and personal safety. If domestic conditions turn bad— spouses and children can instantly relocate— and pre-arranged overseas assets can be quickly moved to follow. They already have the “entire family boarding the plane” script written for times of crisis. Whether buying property abroad— or integrating into Western finance—Red Second Gen are ultimately playing a cross-border game of power and capital. Their education and positions in the West are not the end— but tools to further cement family status and expand their sphere of interest. At home, they use their parents’ influence to build business empires— abroad, they exploit Wall Street rules— to preserve and grow family wealth— and even steer international capital toward their own interests. Remember Wen Yunsong’s New Horizon Capital? It not only made the Wen family extremely rich— but became a model for many who followed. More high-ranking leaders’ children have entered the private equity sector— raising international capital via Singapore, Hong Kong, and elsewhere. Reuters reported— that since Wen Yunsong set the trend— over a dozen funds have been founded or managed by Red-background offspring— raising hundreds of billions of dollars in total— with foreign investors eager to hand them money. But when you’re often by the river, your shoes will get wet. New Horizon once crossed the legal red line by illegally acquiring nearly 9% of a Hong Kong-listed firm. In 2010, about three months before the IPO of China Pharmaceutical— Wen Yunsong’s New Horizon— bought 9% of its shares for about $81 million— at around HK$1.18 per share— far below the IPO price guidance of HK$3.80–$4.60— about a 70% discount. Because the deal was too close to the IPO and at such a steep discount— the HKEX prepared to investigate— forcing them to exit. Even when investigated for violations— their money stayed safe— and they still made $46.5 million from the deal. This case shows— Red Second Gen are equally bold in overseas capital markets— confident even when skirting or breaking the law. In the end, New Horizon was only ordered to exit— with no other real penalties— and Wen Yunsong emerged unscathed. Such outcomes only embolden Red capital. With patrons at home and teams abroad— even hitting the red line can be smoothed over— without affecting the bigger picture. As the saying goes— the overseas Red Second Gen— are like the ocean— the ocean has calm days— and days of raging storms. A storm can overturn a pond— but not the ocean. After countless storms— the ocean remains. The high ranks are fully aware of these overseas operations. Within the Party, there’s long been a term— for officials whose spouses and children emigrate— while they themselves remain in office in China. Such officials are called “naked officials.” Since Hu Jintao’s era— the CCDI has been collecting data— on naked officials at all levels. By 2014— the Party’s Organization Department issued new rules— explicitly barring any official— whose spouse had emigrated, or— whose children had all emigrated— from being considered for promotion—and launched a nationwide purge of such cases. By the end of 2014— over 3,200 department-level and higher “naked officials” had been identified nationwide. The fastest and most hardline actions came from Guangdong— where, as the frontier of reform and opening-up— officials doing business or fleeing abroad was most pronounced. In 2014— then-Party Secretary Hu Chunhua declared— that all naked officials must be purged. The province uncovered over 1,000 such officials— ordering them to choose: either bring spouses and children back to China— or be removed from their posts or reassigned to idle positions. With that order— over 200 officials quickly “handed in” their families— bringing wives and children back from overseas. Some even had relatives give up foreign citizenship. But 866 officials refused or were unable to comply— as their families had long since settled abroad, with no turning back. Thus, those 866 cadres were indeed removed from key posts. Blame America— blame the EU— these damned capitalist powers— all should be unified under our great People’s Republic of China! If you’re still in China right now— count yourself lucky. Alright— that’s all for today’s press conference. Dear— are you and our son doing well in Germany? Give me a kiss. Da Cong, I just saw your press conference— so magnificent— so imposing— I really want to come back to you. Hey, what for? Stay there and live well— the child still needs to attend school there. If you come back, you’ll just be a leek waiting to be cut. But didn’t you just say— Silly girl, that was for certain ears only. The CCP leadership’s attitude toward elite families’ overseas behavior has always been contradictory. On one hand, they know— that the large-scale naked official phenomenon— seriously damages the Party’s image and legitimacy in the people’s eyes— and thus must make a show of rectification— to appease public anger over corruption. But on the other hand— almost every high-ranking figure— or their family is involved in such dealings to some extent. If they were truly impartial— few could emerge unscathed. In practice— they can only selectively punish as a warning to others— picking a few typical cases as examples— while adding procedural barriers— such as requiring leaders to report family assets annually— and file records of children’s marriages and foreign status. For certain key positions— like personnel, national security, and discipline inspection— it’s explicitly forbidden for immediate family to acquire foreign nationality. Once discovered— they’re immediately reassigned. The 2014 revised cadre appointment rules clearly state— naked officials cannot be considered for promotion. These measures seem strict— but in enforcement there’s much room to maneuver. Many high-ranking officials’ children may not take foreign citizenship— but instead hold long-term student or work visas abroad— so they’re not technically residents— and don’t cross the red line. Of course— the South China Sea understands this— but changing it at the root is easier said than done. Because to truly end naked officials— the most effective step would be to make officials’ assets public— and establish independent judiciary and oversight— but that is exactly what the CCP fears most. Thus a deadlock forms— they want to wield the iron fist— but keep the blade from turning inward— never toward themselves. And so, the overseas tales of Red families continue to play out. While writing this— I suddenly had a beautiful fantasy. These Red Second Gen, educated in the West— might they not come to embrace democracy and freedom? Having seen the outside world— might they question or even reject their parents’ authoritarian system— leading us toward a democratic and happy future? But I quickly snapped out of that dream— wanting to slap myself. In reality— the chance of that is vanishingly small. The vast majority of Red Second Gen are born with silver spoons— their family interests bound to them for life. They have a natural drive to protect the vested interests of their families and the entire elite class. Of course, they enjoy America’s lifestyle— but that doesn’t stop them from— enjoying Western freedoms while relying on and supporting the CCP system that grants them privilege. For them— What they never forget is not the Declaration of Independence or simple values— but the long string of numbers in their offshore trust accounts— and the roar of various Ferrari supercars. In the public eye, people often focus on figures like Yang Lanlan— talking endlessly about their luxurious and mysterious lives— yet easily overlook the real question worth asking: who foots the bill for these princelings? Who hides their whereabouts? Who shields them from responsibility? Only when we drag these names into the open— and let sunlight shine into the shadows— might we see the moment of justice. Only then will those lawless luxury cars truly stop— and park where they rightfully belong. Who are you? Director Zhao. I’m the new guy, Xiao Zhang. Uh… what did you do to end up here? You also couldn’t find your script during a press conference? No, the General Secretary said I couldn’t keep my mouth shut— that I blurt out every secret. Then we’re about the same. I couldn’t keep my wife in check. Director Zhao, can we catch any fish here? Nope. But the General Secretary told me— in a couple of days, they’ll transfer someone surnamed Wang here— and have him jump in to hook fish for us. Why’s he being sent over? Apparently, he did a program— telling people that China’s nuclear launch code was the General Secretary’s birthday. Must be sick in the head. I need to drink some herbal medicine.