【新唐人2014年06月24日讯】今年以来，有着“中国重要能源基地”之称的山西省，官场地震不断，多名高官相继落马。日前，又有两名省部级、一名地市级官员在同一天被带走调查，其中包括山西省运城市市委书记王茂设。而王茂设与多名“大老虎”交往甚密，这些“大老虎”的背后，涉及周永康、曾庆红等江系大员。
据北京《中国经营报》报导，山西省运城市市委书记王茂设，于6月19号晚，在办公室被“有关部门”带走，同时被带走的还有王茂设身边的两名工作人员，以及运城市某政府宾馆经理的司机。 6月20号，山西当局在内部会议上宣布，王茂设涉嫌严重违法违纪，已经接受调查。
报导还说，王茂设被带走后，他的办公室，及他在运城、太原和北京的家都被查抄。有纪检系统人士向《中国经营报》记者透露，仅在王茂设北京的家中就查出了1000多万元现金。
而王茂设被带走的当天下午，中共中央纪委监察部网站宣布﹕山西省委常委、副省长杜善学、和山西省政协副主席令政策，两人涉嫌严重违纪违法，正在接受组织调查。“巧合”的是，这两名官员同样来自山西运城。
报导说，王茂设在任职期间，与这两名官员私交很好。舆论还指出，这三名交往甚密的官员在同一天先后落马，令人很难不怀疑其中有所关联。
北京时政观察人士华颇：“习近平反腐主要是对地方实力派下手，最主要的目地还是对地方实力派。因为胡锦涛执政时期，中央非常弱势，造成地方尾大不掉，各个地方形成了自己的利益集团，它们对中央阳奉阴违，绑架中央。所以习近平加强了个人集权，他要建立一个强势中央，要加强中央集权制，所以他就以反腐的手段对地方实力派进行打压。”
据了解，与王茂设交好的“大老虎”，包括今年4月刚刚落马的原中国科协“一把手”——原中宣部副部长申维辰。 王茂设和申维辰被怀疑设立皮包公司，进行钱财转移。
如果说，王茂设的落马是因为与“大老虎”申维辰有所牵连的话，那么申维辰的背后则可能再揪出“更大的老虎”。据了解，申维辰在职期间长期主管山西宣传系统工作，曾获江派要员李东生大力支持，并与周永康之子周斌关系密切。 因此外界多传闻，申维辰的落马很可能也涉及周永康案。
据统计，今年以来，已经有四名与山西有关的省部级、及多名地市级中共高官落马。其中包括山西人大常委会第一副主任“金道铭”，中共科协党组书记、原太原市委书记“申维辰”，吕梁市市长“丁雪峰”等。 而这些落马官员大部分与江派大员周永康、曾庆红案有所关联。
华颇：“山西呢，它是中国社会官场的一个缩影，山西说有一个山西帮，但是反观全国，有四川帮，有山东帮，也有北京帮。各个地方都有自己的一个体系，都有自己的一个团体。所以今天习近平反腐打到了山西帮的身上，其实是做了杀鸡儆猴的效果。拿山西帮开刀就是让各个地方、派别臣服自己，老老实实的听自己的话。”
1998年到2008年，十年期间，曾庆红以推进中部崛起为由，频赴山西考察调研，与山西多名官员和媒商建立了关系网，因此，有评论指出，目前山西官场的地震，与江派的失势有着很大关系。
华颇：“要知道山西是中国一个重要能源基地。前些年煤炭价格暴涨，各个利益集团、各个权贵、各个大家族都把手伸进了煤炭资源领域，他们都是贱买贵卖、中饱私囊。我想这些家族都是深陷其中，都不干净。所以习近平这次是有的放矢的，当然不会仅仅限止山西地方的几个官员，他是两面打，既威慑下边，又要威慑上边 。”
北京观察人士华颇分析，继打击“山西帮”之后，“习李政权”很可能会对其他地方派系下手，更激烈的中共内斗即将拉开帷幕。
采访编辑/张天宇 后制/李勇
Shanxi Officials, Linked To Many “Big Tigers," Implicated
Shanxi Province is known as China’s energy hub.
This year, many Shanxi officials have been sacked.
Recently, another three high ranking officials
were detained for interrogation.
Included among them was municipal party secretary
of Yuncheng City, Wang Maoshe.
Wang has ties to many “big tigers," Chinese regime officials,
many of whom are known associates of Jiang Zemin.
Zhou Yongkang and Zeng Qinghong are a few.
China Business reported that Municipal Party Secretary
of Yuncheng City, Wang Maoshe, was taken away
on the evening of June 19.
Two staff members and a government guesthouse
driver manager of his were also taken away.
In a June 20 internal meeting, Shanxi authorities announced
the investigation of Wang Maoshe for an alleged serious
disciplinary violation.
Investigators confiscated his property in Yuncheng, Taiyuan
and Beijing.
More than 10 million yuan in cash from his Beijing home
was confiscated, said the report.
That afternoon, the Ministry of Supervision made
an announcement on its website.
Shanxi Provincial Standing Committee Du Shanxue
and Vice Chairman of Shanxi Political Consultative
Conference Ling Zhengce were also placed
under investigation for alleged serious violations of the law.
Coincidentally, both Du and Ling were from Yuncheng.
Reportedly, Wang Maoshe had close relations
with these two officials.
Analysts suspect a connection between the three dismissals
on the same day.
Beijing political observer Hua Po: “Xi Jinping’s
anti-corruption has mainly targeted the regional power groups.
In Hu’s reign, the Central has been weak and the locals
have their own interest factions.
The local governments ignore the Central’s order.
In order to strengthen his centralized power, Xi uses anti-
corruption to manipulate and suppress local power groups."
Big tigers associated with Wang Maoshe include the recently
sacked former Deputy Minister of Propaganda Shen Weichen.
Wang Maoshe and Shen Weichen allegedly ran
a shell company in order to transfer funds.
Was Wang Maoshe implicated due to his association with
big tiger Shen Weichen?
Most likely, even bigger tigers lie behind Shen.
It is said that Li Dongsheng strongly supported
Shen Weichen in his role at the propaganda field.
Shen also had close ties to Zhou Bin, Zhou Yongkang’s son.
It has been widely speculated that Shen was sacked
for his involvement in Zhou Yongkang’s case.
This year, many Shanxi high officials have been dismissed.
Included are Jin Daoming, first deputy director of the Shanxi
People’s Congress, Shen Weichen, party secretary
of China Association for Science and Technology,
and Ding Xuefeng, Mayor of Luliang City.
The majority are connected to Zhou Yongkang
and Zeng Qinghong.
Hua Po: “Shanxi is a microcosm of Communist officialdom.
There is a Shanxi faction in Shanxi.
There are also factions in Sichuan, Shandong, Beijing,
and other areas.
Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign in Shanxi serves
as a warning to others.
His first strike against the Shanxi faction is to have others
surrender and obey."
Between 1998 and 2008, Zeng Qinghong made frequent visits
to Shanxi in the name of promoting central China.
He has thus established connections with many officials
and media in Shanxi.
It is analyzed that the “earthquake" in Shanxi officialdom
is associated with the downfall of the Jiang faction.
Hua Po: “Shanxi is an important energy base in China.
Soaring coal prices in previous years have led various
groups and dignitaries into the coal industry.
They profit by buying low, selling high.
I believe all relevant families are deeply involved
in the coal industry.
I believe Xi Jinping is not only targeting Shanxi.
He intends to deter both sides, both the central and the local."
Hua Po analyzes that Xi Jinping will soon target other local
factions following his focus on Shanxi.
More intense struggle within the Communist Party
will soon begin.
Edit/ZhangTianYu Post-Production/LiYong
