Graft case sparks debate about female officials

Bai Hong, former chairwoman of the labor union of Beijing Health Bureau..[Photo/Baidu.com]

In the past, officials of both genders have been widely portrayed as likely to spend their ill-gotten gains on personal vanity.

Jiang Runli, former director of Fushun Land Resources Bureau in Liaoning province, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 for accepting over 5 million yuan ($810,000) in bribes. Prosecutors said 48 top brand watches and 253 designer handbags were found at her house. Jiang admitted that she had a penchant for expensive accessories.

In another case, Liu Guangming, a senior female official in Anshan, Liaoning province, allegedly spent 500,000 yuan ($650,000) worth of bribes on plastic surgery.

In Beijing alone, 12 senior female officials were caught for corruption linked to high-end beauty salons in 2012.

Among the officials was Bai Hong, former chairwoman of the labor union of Beijing Health Bureau, who spent 4 million yuan she embezzled at a beauty-salon over five years.