Yajun suicide
is believed to have been tied to a series of ongoing corruption
investigations. However, China having direct control over its
news media historically dose not allow such news to be reported. Yajun
took his position in February 2009. Since January, four senior officials
of the CAAC have lost their jobs.
China's
National Audit Office reported $15 million at China Eastern division was
misused in staff bonuses and gifs. The news media called it a “black
hole.” Industry watchdogs and insiders are saying the industry is
riddled with influence peddling and bribery and most recently such
criminal activity involved the awarding of air routes, slots at airports
and construction at various airports. "They're toppling like dominoes" a
headline in the China Business News, a major financial newspaper.
The director for
the Civil Aviation Affairs at the National Development and Reform
Commission (China’s main planning agency), Kuang
Xin was recently questioned into allegations he took bribes to approve
airport projects. Xin was in charge of approving lucrative construction
contracts at China’s
airports.
Huang Dengke,
CAAC's north China chief, is currently under
investigation for allegedly peddling air routes and time slots. As a
result seven executives at China Southern Airlines are being
investigated for being involved in corruption with Dengke. On June 11th
Zhang Heping chief engineer with China Southern Airlines was terminated.
The airline sent a notice to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange which stated
Heping was let go "due to job arrangement."
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