Xu Ming
Xu Ming | |
|---|---|
徐明 | |
 Xu Ming took the witness stand at Bo Xilai's trial on 22 August 2013 | |
| Born | April 1971 Dalian, Liaoning, China |
| Died | 4 December 2015 (aged 44) Wuhan, Hubei, China |
| Education | Master's degree |
| Alma mater | Shenyang Aerospace University Dongbei University of Finance and Economics |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Employer | Dalian Shide Group |
| Organization | Dalian Shide F.C. |
| Political party | China Zhi Gong Party[1] |
| Relatives | Xu Bin (brother) |
Xu Ming (
Xu had close relationships with several high-ranking government officials and their families, especially the former
Early life and career
Xu Ming was born in Dalian, Liaoning Province, Northeast China. He held a master's degree from the Shenyang Institute of Aeronautical Engineering (now Shenyang Aerospace University) and an MBA from Dongbei University of Finance and Economics.[8]
Xu entered the work force in 1990, working for the Foreign Economic and Trade Commission of
Dalian Shide Group
Xu Ming founded Dalian Shide Group Co. Ltd. in 1992,[8] which was awarded more government contracts to beautify Dalian. He developed a close relationship with Bo Xilai, who was the mayor of Dalian from 1992 to 2000.[2]
He expanded into the plastics industry in August 1995, establishing Shide Plastics Industry Corporation. He further expanded the company in 1998 with an investment of 600 million yuan (US$72 million). In December 1998, Shide became the first company in China to receive the
Dalian Shide Football Club
Xu Ming was well known as the owner and chairman of Dalian Shide F.C., formerly China's top football club which dominated the Chinese Jia-A League in the 2000s. He bought the team in 2000 from Wang Jianlin, the billionaire real-estate developer in Dalian. He reportedly tried to sell the club for 600 million yuan (US$98 million) in 2009, without success. The club shut down in 2012 after Xu was detained.[4] He reportedly said that he was not interested in football, but invested in the team to please Dalian mayor Bo Xilai, who was a fan of the team.[9]
Relationship with government officials
Xu Ming curried favor with the families of China's government elite. He cared for the parents and children of powerful officials, and had especially close relationships with the families of Bo Xilai and Wen Jiabao, China's former premier and one of Bo's main rivals.[2] When Bo's wife
Downfall and trial
In the spring of 2012, Bo Xilai was accused of corruption and taken into custody. Xu Ming was detained soon afterwards. Xu's football club was shut down in 2012 after the merger talk with a rival team collapsed.[4] His brother Xu Bin succeeded him as chairman of the Shide Group.[9]
In August 2013, Bo Xilai was charged with taking 21.79 million yuan (US$3.56 million) of bribes from Xu Ming and Tang Xiaolin. At Bo's trial Xu testified that he gave Bo's wife Gu Kailai $3.23 million in 2000 to buy a villa in France, and that he paid for the travel and credit card bills of their son Bo Guagua, but he did not tell Bo Xilai about most of the payments.[10] He was shown testifying on state television, having lost a significant amount of weight. Bo Xilai received a life sentence for corruption and abuse of power. In a trial closed to the public, Xu Ming was sentenced to four years in prison, effective from 2012.[9]
Death
On 4 December 2015, Xu Ming was reported to have died of a heart attack, aged 44. He died in a Wuhan prison where he was held, less than a year before he was scheduled to be released. His body was cremated within days and returned to his hometown of Dalian.[7][11] Some analysts raised suspicions with the manner of his death and the speed of cremation, although there was no evidence suggesting foul play.[7]
References
- ^ a b 徐明 [Xu Ming] (in Chinese). Dalian Shide Group. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f David Barboza (21 August 2013). "China Boss's Fall Puts Focus on a Business Ally". New York Times. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- ^ "#8 Xu Ming". Forbes. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
- ^ a b c Simon Montlake (22 August 2013). "China's Political Show Trial Exposes Dalian Tycoon. Can His Company Survive?". Forbes. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- ^ "China Rich List 2013". Hurun Report. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ Edward Wong (22 August 2013). "Fallen Official Is Defiant as Trial Begins in China". New York Times. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- ^ a b c Michael Forsythe (6 December 2015). "Chinese Businessman Linked to Corruption Scandals Dies in Prison, Reports Say". The New York Times.
- ^ ISBN 9781848449510.
- ^ a b c Keira Lu Huang (7 December 2015). "Jailed Chinese tycoon and ally of disgraced princeling Bo Xilai dies of heart attack". South China Morning Post.
- ^ "Bo Xilai trial as blogged by the court – Day One". BBC. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
- ^ "前实德集团董事长徐明因病去世 终年44岁". Sina. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.