Bribes in Lunchboxes: TV Series on China's Corrupt Officials Hooks Millions

The Chinese flag is raised in front of the China Pavilion during a flag raising ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo site in Shanghai April 30, 2010. (Reuters)
The Chinese flag is raised in front of the China Pavilion during a flag raising ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo site in Shanghai April 30, 2010. (Reuters)
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Bribes in Lunchboxes: TV Series on China's Corrupt Officials Hooks Millions

The Chinese flag is raised in front of the China Pavilion during a flag raising ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo site in Shanghai April 30, 2010. (Reuters)
The Chinese flag is raised in front of the China Pavilion during a flag raising ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo site in Shanghai April 30, 2010. (Reuters)

A huge designer property in Beijing and millions of dollars hidden in seafood boxes -- a state television series on China's anti-graft campaign is captivating viewers and lifting the lid on officials brought down on graft charges.

A staggering number of Communist cadres have been caught up in President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption drive in recent years, which critics say has also served as a way to remove political enemies since he came to power in 2013, AFP said.

The ongoing five-part series aired by state broadcaster CCTV shows televised confessions by officials accused of corruption, including former vice public security minister Sun Lijun.

Sun -- who oversaw security in Hong Kong during months of unrest -- is facing allegations that include taking bribes, manipulating the stock market, illegally possessing firearms and paying for sex.

The TV series claimed Sun received regular bribes worth $14 million disguised as "small seafood boxes" from a man he later appointed as police chief in eastern Jiangsu province.

"I helped him all this way," said Sun on the program.

It is common practice for CCTV to air "confessions" by criminal suspects, including former officials, before they have even appeared in court -- something widely condemned by rights groups.

Another episode featured imprisoned Chen Gang of the China Association for Science and Technology -- who was said to have built a 72,000-square-metre (775,000-square-foot) private compound complete with a Chinese-style residence, swimming pool and artificial beach with illicit funds.

Others featured were accused of taking millions in bribes.

Those convicted of corruption can be stripped of their wealth, party membership, and face a lifetime behind bars or even death.

More than a million officials have been punished under the anti-corruption campaign so far, which has been a cornerstone of Xi's tenure.

Wang Fuyu, who featured in the second episode of the series, was given a death sentence with a two-year reprieve on Monday -- a day after his confession was aired.

Hundreds of millions took to social media in China to dissect the series, most angered by the luxuries the officials had enjoyed.

One user complained that the men didn't seem to be remorseful and had, on the contrary, "lived a wonderful life" and were "unable to hide their pride."

Some feared the display of excessive wealth was more likely to be appealing.

"Is this a damned civil servant recruitment advertisement?" one sceptic wrote.



McDonald's Japan's Pokemon Card Happy Meals Promotion Comes to Unhappy End

FILE - People stand outside a McDonald's store in Tokyo, March 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)
FILE - People stand outside a McDonald's store in Tokyo, March 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)
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McDonald's Japan's Pokemon Card Happy Meals Promotion Comes to Unhappy End

FILE - People stand outside a McDonald's store in Tokyo, March 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)
FILE - People stand outside a McDonald's store in Tokyo, March 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)

Fast-food chain McDonald’s Japan has canceled a Happy Meal campaign that came with coveted Pokemon cards, apologizing after resellers rushed to buy the meals and then discarded the food, leaving trash outside stores.

The meals, called Happy Sets in Japan, were meant for children. They came with a toy, such as a tiny plastic Pikachu, and a Pokemon card. They sold out in a day, according to Japanese media reports.

Mounds of wasted food were found near the stores, The Associated Press reported.

“We do not believe in abandoning and discarding food. This situation goes against our longtime philosophy that we have cherished as a restaurant to ‘offer a fun dining experience for children and families.’ We sincerely accept that our preparations had not been adequate,” the company said in a statement Monday.

McDonald's said it was working on ways to prevent such a situation from happening again, such as limiting the number of meals each person can buy and ending online orders. It said it might deny service to customers who fail to abide by the rules.

“We vow to return to the basics of what lies behind the Happy Set, which is about helping to bring smiles to families so we can contribute to the wholesome development of the hearts and bodies of children, who are our future,” the company said.

Collecting Pokemon cards is popular among adults and children in many places, with the most popular cards selling for $1,000 or more.

Unusually large crowds were seen flocking to McDonald’s stores when the meals with Pokemon cards went on sale. The cards were later being resold for up to tens of thousands of yen (hundreds of dollars) online.

McDonald's has been selling Happy Meals for more than 40 years. In Japan, they usually sell for 510 yen ($3.40).