Yingdala

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XIANDAI BRIBERY SCANDAL SOARS TO NEW HEIGHTS
Chancellor’s wife had shares in Xiandai Group – Government orchestrated deal with Indralair


Xuan Shuren touring a Xiandai jet last October

May 14, 4283
[TIANAN, HAN]: It has been revealed that Chancellor Xuan Shuren’s wife Qian Lim, following the death of her father, inherited a 0.16% stake (valued at $76 million INS) in Xiandai Group. She and her husband, the country’s chancellor, hobnobbed with Xiandai executives to pass legislation in Xiandai’s interest. Investigative reporting bas also revealed that Xiandai funneled nearly $40 million in bribes to other Republican party officials and cabinet ministers.

Zhihao DOWN
Foreign Affairs minister Mao Zhihao has been confirmed to have received $4.6 million INS from the deal that he orchestrated between Indralair and Xiandai. Also included in the scandal is Finance minister Luo Bo, who was responsible for lowering the corporate tax rate from 5% to 0% during the Nationalist-Republican coalition regime. Trade and Industry minister is on the hook as well after emails leaked revealing Xiandai executives had directly asked him to make changes to the labour laws that allowed Xiandai to fire 4000 employees following their decision to go on strike.

Election coming?
Calls for the Chancellor to resign have become louder amidst the scandals that have plagued the government in a domino effect ever since the Ruogang Confessions took place. The Chancellor has continued to avoid the conflict and remain in the countryside – something that reckons to the past behaviour of Song Yi when she went missing several times in rural Shu Province. A majority of Republican backbenchers have been passing rogue bills to cause a form of “self-destruction” so that Xuan Shuren and his cabinet will be forced out of the National Conference if they refuse to resign themselves.

More to come…

[Wu Han]

Issue 1: August 4283

Above: The Xiandai Tower pierces through the sky, as clouds crawl down the mountains to blanket the Hazhou Financial District

Xiandai Corporate Headquarters Raided; Bribery Scandal Threatens Indralan Economic Success Story
Story by Tan Dongsheng, 15 August 4283

HAZHOU, Shu — It was a surprisingly brisk morning in Hazhou this Monday, considering the time of year, as fog moved in from the mountains and SPS investigators descended on the Xiandai Group corporate headquarters. It cannot be ignored that ironically, each of the fastidious and deadpan SPS agents disembarked from one of sixteen Xiandai A35 light commercial passenger vans. Attorney General Xu Jindong spoke from a stuffy room in Tian'an where he described that following reports of bribery between Xiandai and key government officials in the government, the Supreme Prosecution Service had decided to raid the Xiandai Group headquarters in order to look for physical evidence of wrongdoing. Today, Chief Financial Officer Wang Junpyo, brother of CEO Wang Tangfei, and one of the nation's principal pillars of industry was escorted by police into an SPS Provincial Office to meet with prosecutors. This sent a message that shocked even a jaded public: Indrala’s economic order is under threat.


Wang Junpyo entering the Shu SPS Office

For the duration of the Fourth Republic, successive right-wing governments have deregulated monopoly restrictions, lowered business burdens and radically privatized the economy which has led to a number of families who have worked to aggressively squeeze out smaller businesses and international competitors. Those groups came to be known as the caizu, or “rich clans” in Indralan, and they dominate Indrala’s economic life to this day, recharging a sluggish and slow to no growth economy which plagued the Third Republic. Many of these groups are considered "too-big-to-fail" and as such, conservative and liberal politicians have pandered to their needs in the past. As Feng Songjo, Professor of Economics at Indrala University puts it:

To Indralans, caizu have two faces. On one hand, caizu symbolize corrupt ties between business and politics, so people call for reforming caizu. On the other hand, the economy is so heavily dependent on caizu that people fear that shaking them too much might make them collapse.

In the past, caizu conglomerates have been able to evade criminal investigation and prosecution through pulling their insurmountable weight in politics and economics and as Wang Junpyo heads into criminal investigation, it remains yet to be seen whether the Wang family will accept responsibility, or redirect the crosshairs of attention to embattled Chancellor Xuan Shuren, the family of whom owns nearly $76 million INS in Xiandai Group stock. Further, how the public will respond to this latest example of caizu-governmental conspiracy will be important to watch over the coming weeks. Either way, the economic order of Indrala could be shaken to its core.

Xiandai Group stocks closed at 2134.13 INS per share today.

[TreeHugger]

HALF OF REPUBLICAN CABINET QUITS, ELECTION LOOMING
Xiandai scandal has forced over half of Republican cabinet ministers to resign, election call expected soon


Xuan Shuren and the Republicans are on their last legs amidst scandal and corruption

May 29, 4284
[TIANAN, HAN]: Half of the Republican government’s cabinet has resigned following the disastrous Xiandai scandal revelation that revealed Xuan Shuren and Co. have gained over $76 million INS from hobnobbing with Xiandai Group.

The cabinet ministers to resign:

Mao Zhihao – Minister of Foreign Affairs
Long Wuying – Minister of Finance
Zheng Song – Minister of Trade and Industry
Wei Xia – Minister of Internal Affairs
Tang Yijun – Minister of Infrastructure and Transport
Peng Qigang – Minister of Justice
Zhang Zemin – Minister of Defence

While the mass resignation seems to be mostly motivated by the internal desire of each minister to cut ties with the government and distance themselves from Xuan Shuren, not all of the resignations have such a clear cut intention. Zhang Zemin, now former Defence Minister, had absolutely nothing to do with the scandal – however he made it clear what his resignation means.


Former Defence Minister Zhang Zemin looking at Xuan Shuren just moments before the mass resignation took place.

Xuan Shuren is an inept leader with a stick up his a**. As of today, I am formally announcing my intention of overthrowing his leadership and taking control of this sinking ship. We have become an embarrassment to the State of Indrala. I will right this vessel and take it back to the Hanzhou Harbour where we will begin the long and strenuous task of rebuilding our party and welding these bulkheads back into a seaworthy state.

When asked how he intends to uproot Xuan Shuren’s leadership, Mr. Zhang said this:

Look at me Mr. Xuan. Look at me through your TV. Look me directly in my cornea. You are like a wilting flower. You smell like my grandmother and you look like my grandfather. Do you know what my Grandfather looked like? A cheater. A man who would rather spend the night in your state funded brothels than come home and love my grandmother. You are the scum of this nation and you shall pay dearly. Keep checking your mirror because I will be right behind you on your way to the courts.

Never have we witnessed such intensity from a politician in Indrala since Song Yi blasted Chen Ruogang before her death. Little is known what exactly Zhang Zemin’s intentions are, and many are calling for both sides to be cautious after what was witnessed when Chen Ruogang uttered similar remarks. All that is known at the moment is that not a single Republican will sleep well tonight.

More to come…

[Wu Han]

Website: Today's Top Stories
These are the three most viewed stories from the Tian'an Times online homepage

Court Rejects Arrest Warrent for Wang Junpyo, Xiandai CFO

Wang Junpyo leaving the Hazhou Courthouse

HAZHOU, Shu -- A Hazhou court has denied the request of prosecutors to arrest Xiandai Group CFO and de facto head of the Wang family Wang Junpyo for his alleged role in a snowballing corruption scandal poised to topple Chancellor Xuan Shuren.

Mr Wang, Chief Financial Office of the Xiandai Group, one of the world’s largest conglomerates, was allowed to return home early on Thursday morning after the Hazhou District Court ruled that there was no compelling reason for his arrest, despite prosecutors’ accusations that Xiandai made millions of dollars of political donations and bribes in return for business favours.

The 48-year-old Xiandai Group executive is facing charges of bribery, perjury and embezzlement following a 22-hour interrogation late last week. The special prosecutors have accused the company of funneling more than $40m to various elected and unelected government officials in the Republican Party and the Republican Government. Xiandai welcomed the verdict, saying it appreciated “the fact that the merits of this case can now be determined without the need for detention”.

The decision is a relief for Xiandai, enabling the country’s biggest conglomerate to avoid a leadership vacuum at a time when it is scrambling to push its commercial jets to foreign markets. Shares in Xiandai rose as much as 2.7 per cent on Thursday morning, while the broader market was up 0.5 per cent. The Republican Party, however, may not fare as well as the scandal has caused deep divides within the party with Former-Defence Minister Zhang Zemin declaring his commitment to "overthrowing [Xuan Shuren's] leadership and taking control of this sinking ship [The Republican Party]."

According to experts, this scandal is far from over; “Although the arrest warrant was rejected . . . this is just the beginning. The controversy over his legal punishment will continue throughout this year,” said Li Bohai, economics professor at Tian'an National University.“Indrala is in for a rocky ride, both politically and economically.” Officials from the Supreme Prosecution Service announced shortly after the ruling that they would be appealing the decision, and moving forward with criminal charges against Wang Junpyo.

Huang Zitao, Lotus Party, Campaigning in Taixi

Huang Zitao meeting with constituents in Taixi

TAIXI, Anle -- Huang Zitao was spotted today meeting with voters in the Taixi market district. As "The Nation's Grandfather" moved through the market, he was approached by a diverse range of voters both young and old who were eagar to get a picture with him. One such voter, 16-year-old Chang Liuxian was shaking with excitement after taking a photo with his classmates and Huang:

I am so happy! My birthday is this April, so if what everyone is saying is true, I'll get to vote for the Lotus Party for the first time this year! I'm very excited. The Lotus Party is the only party that considers the interests of young people and puts each of us before big business.

Taking a photo with Huang Zitao has become a sort of status symbol among young people on social media, which might explain why he is mobbed by teenagers at every campaign event the Lotus Party hosts. One Taixi market merchant, however, was not nearly as excited to see Huang. Yi Dan looked on with contempt as Huang was mobbed by constituents:

There is no good to come from a socialist trying to get elected as Chancellor. Look now, that [expletive] is already making me lose all my customers!

Yi Dan looking dismissively at Huang Zitao as she hangs another chicken for sale

Huang, for his part, used the opportunity to criticize the Republicans, as the Xiandai bribery scandal has engulfed not just members of the government, but potentially the Chancellor as well. Huang said:

I dare say that this government has been the most destructive government in nearly four decades. Corruption, privitization, militarization, and a bill which will see our nation renege on its obligation to the international community has been a firm step backward for our country. However, where others see a depressing situation, I see courage in changing the course of history; where others see a society torn apart, I see dawn at the end of a long dark night. You may choose not to trust me to do it alone, but you must trust the collective faith and good will of all of us. If I can see a future for Indrala, so can we all.

Yao Wins "Best Actor" Award at IFAA

Yao accepting his award

TIAN'AN, Han -- After topping the box office with the movie Spark in a Mountain Village (山寨火种) earlier this year, main actor Yao was recognized with the "Best Actor" award at the 22nd annual Indrala Film Academy Awards.

Most Indralan entertainment industry insiders and pundits predicted that Yao would win the "Best Actor" award, but some suggested that his achievement was not accredited to his acting skills, but rather his large fan following. This was Yao's first film since his acting debut in 4280. In his speech, Yao said:

I am very honored to be able to win this award, but I feel that I still have many areas of improvement. I feel and learn many things through acting. Especially as I learn about Indralan history, I realized that when our nation goes through a difficult time, it is the people who rescue the country, that it's the people who are the true owners of our nation. My humble wish is that 4285 can be a year where all of Indrala's citizens can walk on the flower path, not just a few people. I will work hard to continually improve my acting skills so that I can be deserving of your support. Thank you everybody!

Netizens quickly took to the internet following his acceptance speech, lambasting it for its political nature. Yao, Lotus Party Leader Huang Zitao's youngest son, has been criticized in the past for his open endorsement of the Lotus Party, and this speech was no exception.

Yao is scheduled to appear in the KBS drama Wild Flowers (野草閑花) in the spring.

[Wu Han]

Shi Yawen Institute for Democracy Studies Nominated for Razamid Peace Prize

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Xuan Shuren Removed As Leader of Republicans in Dramatic Vote
Xuan Shuren is now an independent chancellor without a party to call home


Xuan Shuren takes the bus back to his home after his party voted against his leadership and refused to provide any financial support to him as a member of the party

June 2, 4285
[HANZHOU, SHU]: With 93.7% of Republican party members voting against his leadership, Xuan Shuren became a Chancellor without a party this afternoon. A group of former cabinet ministers and party leadership staff campaigned fiercely over the past few months for the party membership to vote Mr. Xuan out, however they didn’t seem to need much convincing as the Xiandai scandal continued to unravel and the Chancellor lost all the credibility that he once had. The campaign to vote out the chancellor, called “No more Xuan”, was spearheaded by former Defence Minister Zhang Zemin and former lifelong orphan and Republican leadership candidate Deng Jia.


Campaign to end Xuan Shuren’s leadership spearheaded by orphan Deng Jia and former Defence Minister Zhang Zemin

Downfall
The Republicans have fully imploded now that they are leaderless and an early election call is expected soon. Without any leader to run for chancellor and massive debt surrounding the party, there seems to be no hope for the Republican brand in the near future. Questions are being raised as to what the party is going to do now that their hopes of re-election are virtually squashed. Some party members had a few ideas of what to do:

We must go back to our roots. We must thrive on our accomplishments. We must never forget what Song Yi did for us. Xuan Shuren ruined our party out of greed. We know who we are and we can revive our movement. - Ma Ling

What’s Next?
The party’s temporary leader, Orphan and former leadership candidate Deng Jia told reporters that she would be suspending all advertising for the party and instead allocating that money towards small, local town hall meetings to investigate what direction the party should take gullwing the next election. She has also mentioned her intention of cementing a ban on donations to political parties within the Republican Party manifesto – in order to avoid such circumstances as the party now finds itself in.

Zhang’n Zemin
Former Defence Minister and now unofficial candidate for leader of the Republicans Zhang Zemin has fulfilled his promise to remove Xuan Shuren as leader of the party

We got the votes!

Now, he says he must take some time to rest and think about what his future holds, not dismissing a potential stab at the leadership in the near future.

I said I would run, didn’t I? I need some time now, but you will see.

The past of the Republican Party/Greens/Green Bloc has been tumultuous and plagued with tragedy, scandal and misfortune. Only time will tell if the future for this embattled organization will hold more of the same, or if there is light at the end of the tunnel.

More to come…

[Wu Han]

Issue 5: July 4285

Huang Zitao gives a thumbs up to supporters from his campaign bus

On the Campaign Trail with the Lotus Party
Story by Hao Luoyang, 10-15 July 4285

The Lotus Party has been campaigning hard in the months following the Xiandai bribery scandal revelations which sent shockwaves through Indrala's political scene. The Southern Voice spent three days with Lotus Party leader Huang Zitao as he traversed the nation, looking to gain support and win the Lotus Party's first majority mandate.


Huang wades through the crowd as he attempts to enter the Mudanwan Exhibition and Convention Centre for a rally that afternoon

On Monday, the Lotus Party campaign bus rolled into Mudanwan for an afternoon rally where he was greeted by a large crowd waiting outside the Mudanwan Exhibition and Convention Centre. Once inside, Huang spoke to around five-hundred supporters, where he blasted the current Republican government:

The Chancellor has no party, the governing party has no leader, and our country is void of stability. However, looking back on my life, my greatest realization is that pessimism, prejudice and despair are not inevitable. What we need is to rebuild trust, reestablish unity and rekindle hope. With the right measure of all three, we can find the solutions, and we can write the history that we want to see.

Huang and his aids slept on the bus overnight as it traveled to the rural village of Yanghe in Anle Province, where he toured a secondary school newly-renovated with funds resulting from the Lotus Party's Education Reform Omnibus Bill. He used the opportunity to reaffirm the Lotus Party's commitment to students and young people. However, later that evening during a town hall with local Lotus Party candidates, Huang was hit on the head by an egg thrown by a protester. Multiple protestors stood up and chanted "Wake up! Wake up!" as security struggled to get them under control.




Huang was whisked off the stage for around three minutes where he was cleaned up. "I'm lucky that I didn't choose to wear a good suit today," Huang joked as he retook the stage, "My doctor said I should eat fewer eggs, but luckily he said nothing about wearing them!" Huang's tone quickly became serious, however, as security was still rangling with the protestors:

Let them go! Don't harm them! No citizen of this Republic should ever have their voice silenced! In reality, these people should have every right to throw eggs at me, and all the other Indralan politicians. Why? Because we have failed you. *Huang bows* For the past number of years, our National Conference has been plagued with controversy and scandal. Bribery and corruption. "Wake up." That's what they're chanting, right? On occasion, as a politician, I need a reminder to wake up, and so I thank you. I vow to you today that I will wake up, and as your Chancellor, I will instruct the Supreme Prosecution Service, to begin a full and thorough investigation of all Conference Representatives for any possible indication of corruption on my part, or on the part of my colleagues on my first day in office. If there is even a hint of corruption found, we will resign and take responsibility for our crimes immediately. I will also ensure the SPS that any criminal charges leveled against a Representative will be unobstructed by my government. Enough is enough!

The last part of his statement elicited thunderous applause from the small auditorium in which the event was held.

The last day we spent with Huang and his team was in Tian'an, where the Lotus Party had organized a mass outdoor rally in a public square. We were told that the organizers had expected around 11,000 people but were shocked when nearly 40,000 people attended the rally.

Huang gave a 45 minute speech, which concluded with the following:

...It's true, our nation's current state is grim. Looking back on history, however, you will find that darkness always gives way to light – if only we can hold on to optimism, hope and shared faith in one another. I will work toward putting our country back on its feet and helping all of you realize your dreams, as Indralans. I implore all of you today, especially our young people, as I always have: never stop dreaming until your dreams come true!

[Wu Han]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

[Wu Han]

SUPREME PROSECUTION SERVICE: For Immediate Release:

[Wu Han]

Lotus Party Wins Minority Government
Huang Zitao is elected Chancellor with 76.33% on the first ballot
Tian'an, Han - 22 November 4285

Fireworks erupt over the Lotus Party Election night HQ as the party is declared as winning a minority government by the media

Election Night

As results poured in from Southern Indrala, it was clear that the night would end in the Lotus Party's favour. In the Republican home province of Shu, support for the government had all but disintegrated as the Lotus Party captured over 67.5% of the vote. This inspired confidence within the Tian'an National Stadium, which was filled with nearly 50,000 Lotus Party supporters and members from all across the nation. As the Lotus Party continued to overperform in the South, it became clear that the Lotus Party would be forming the next government.

Huang Zitao Elected Chancellor

Half-way through the legislative results, it was announced that Huang Zitao had won 76.33% of the popular vote on the first ballot. Lotus Party President Wei Cheng walked onto the stage to the thunderous and jubilant applause of the stadium:

We have just received some very good news. *applause* Tonight has been and will continue to be a momentous event in the history of our movement! They're still counting votes and every vote should count, and so we will be coming back out very soon, but I just wanted to come out and say thank you to each and every one of you on behalf of our Chancellor-elect... *applause* ... for all of your incredible hard work, it seems that it has certainly paid off. Thank you!

Vote Splitting in Lotus Party Heartland

As votes came in from the North, the celebrations became somewhat more subdued as it became clear that the Lotus Party had lost it's foundational home province Jiaozhi. Additionally, the Lotus Party lost Anle, a traditional bastion of support for the party. The leftist National Awakening Party, exceeding prior expectations, had split the vote between the Lotus Party in these provinces, leading to a Republican victory. It was in this moment that supporters realized that the Lotus Party would be elected to a minority government, rather than a majority, as they had gone into the election over-confident in their support in the North.


Huang Zitao is applauded by staffers backstage as he heads to give his acceptance speech

Fireworks Erupt as Huang Zitao Takes The Stage

Excerpts from Huang Zitao's acceptance speech:

...To every Indralan from every direction: Spring has arrived! You voted for change – for better health care, for better schools and for good family-supporting jobs. We will answer your call.

You voted for a society where no one is left out, and no one is left behind. We will answer your call.

I want to speak for a moment about our young people. In Tian'an Plaza, thousands of citizens formed an ocean of light with their mobile phones, illuminating their young faces, and they sent the most sincere wishes for a united Indrala. It reminded me why I got into politics in the first place: So that we could build an Indrala where our young people dare to look cynicism in the eye as they dream big, and never stop fighting until their dreams come true. My heart remains the same, only more humble. I will dedicate my body and mind to the service of all Indralans.

Together, we defeated the idea that Indralans should be satisfied with less, that good enough is good enough and that better just isn’t possible. Well, my friends, this is Indrala, and in Indrala better is always possible. Thank you!