Chapter 563: Handling Data Falsification

When returning to the province, Mayor Su Xiang Hai and Deputy Secretary Wang Hong followed, and Lu Fan was to take the two to report work to Secretary Tang Bing and Governor Liu Linghao, letting them appear more before the leaders, which was in fact a covert recommendation of cadres.

Just upon arriving at the office, the Organization Department received a notice from the Provincial Party Committee Office that Secretary Tang Bing wanted to see Lu Fan.

A summons from the secretary must be rushed to; this is the most basic political literacy.

When they reached the secretary's office, Governor Liu Linghao, Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Zhao Lingyun, and Executive Deputy Provincial Governor Huang Chongzhou were already present; judging by the situation they were likely to discuss the Zhoujiakou City data falsification issue, and Lu Fan hurriedly sent a message to Lin Changping asking him to forward the latest progress.

After Lu Fan entered, Liu Linghao laughed, "Lu Fan, did you quietly move 'Fat Attack' to Nanyuan? I watched the opening video of the Wolong Plaza store; the scene was unprecedented!"

Lu Fan smiled and said, "Sincerity is competitiveness, sincerity is productivity. 'Fat Attack'—Yu Xilai often says—cannot deceive one's own heart; act sincerely and kindly, do professional work and ensure quality, and the results are never bad. 'Fat Attack' is not an illusory myth; it is a brilliant flower rooted in the earth, and Nanyuan City needs such a company."

Executive Deputy Provincial Governor Huang Chongzhou said, "I once misunderstood, thinking 'Fat Attack' took the wholesale market route, winning by large volume and low price. Now I see they directly benchmark world‑class supermarkets; their products and services are high‑quality. We thought 'Fat Attack' was a guerrilla force, but actually they are a super‑strong elite army! I have personally visited 'Fat Attack'; its reputation comes from an experience beyond expectations, and 'Fat Attack' achieved perfection!"

In such a setting, Lu Fan naturally said a few more words for 'Fat Attack': "Yu Xilai's first step is a high‑speed run. He shaped the corporate culture of 'Fat Attack': first, treating the enterprise as a society to benefit society; second, promoting a sunny lifestyle, evident in employee benefits; third, whatever one likes, pursue it resolutely, putting every matter on the table, refusing to handle anything beneath the table, not telling a single lie, working cleanly; fourth, 'Fat Attack's service and quality have reached the extreme, and a company like this will not fail to thrive—otherwise even heaven would not approve!"

Tang Bing nodded and said, "Our 'Fat Attack' started more than twenty years ago as a small tobacco and liquor shop on the street, and now has become the pinnacle of the national retail sector. I looked into it; their sales this year will exceed 15 billion, becoming a large commercial group, solving employment for thousands, earning countless honors for Huayuan Province, reshaping the image of Huayuan people. We must protect and support such a company, allowing it to keep growing!"

After discussing Fat Attack, Tang Bing said, "I invited you here today mainly to discuss handling opinions on statistical supervision issues. Chongzhou, Lu Fan, please report the specifics."

Huang Chongzhou reported first; his issues were few, a harmless selection of sixteen typical cases that generally suffice for routine reporting.

Then Lu Fan reported on the nine cities under his charge; compared with the scattered issues Huang Chongzhou found, these were truly earth‑shattering, because several of Lu Fan's team leaders are capable cadres of the Provincial Organization Department, naturally determined to fully realize the leaders' intentions.

The most serious case remains Zhoujiakou City, where investigations and reviews have been conducted on 41 leading cadres: three at the bureau level, seventeen at the county‑department level, and twenty‑one at the section level or below, and thirty‑eight illegal enterprises have supplied false statistical data.

Finally, Lu Fan also suggested that Mayor Lei Xingxing of Zhoujiakou City be subjected to party and governmental disciplinary action.

After hearing Lu Fan's report, the leaders remained silent.

After a long pause, Tang Bing said, "Governor Liu Linghao, what is your view on handling Zhoujiakou City?"

Liu Linghao, of course, stood with Lu Fan, saying, "Secretary, data falsification may seem minor, but it is fundamentally a major issue. Without accurate data as the basis for decisions, even the most correct decisions may not yield good outcomes, and may even backfire.

I believe data falsification is linked to 'data producing political achievements' and 'data producing cadres'; therefore, to fundamentally eradicate it, we must sternly deal with a group of people who act against the wind, so that everyone will revere the data."

Huang Chongzhou expressed agreement with the governor's view, noting that at the grassroots level there is widespread directive reporting, demands for bundled duplicate submissions, and demands that non‑compliant enterprises continue to falsify statistical data, severely interfering with independent corporate reporting. He called for timely notification of typical statistical violation cases and strict punishment of statistical illegal acts.

Zhao Lingyun then said, "Statistical falsification is the greatest corruption in the statistical field, severely violating the Statistics Law. The 'Disciplinary Punishment Regulations' incorporate 'statistical falsification' into the clauses concerning violation of work discipline, clearly stipulating the penalties for statistical falsification, providing strong disciplinary safeguards for preventing and punishing it. I will briefly state two articles:"

"Article 139, Paragraph 1 of the Regulations: For statistical falsification, the directly responsible person and the leading responsible person, if the circumstances are minor, receive a warning or a serious warning; if the circumstances are heavier, they receive removal of party posts or party probation; if the circumstances are severe, they receive expulsion from the Party."

"Paragraph 2: For failure to detect statistical falsification that leads to serious consequences, the directly responsible person and the leading responsible person receive a warning or serious warning; if the circumstances are severe, they receive removal of party posts, party probation, or expulsion from the Party."

Everyone talked at length, all supporting severe punishment, but no one mentioned what responsibility Lei Xingxing should bear, which is the issue Tang Bing cares about most.

Since no one voiced an opinion, Tang Bing bluntly said, "Lingyun, have the Discipline Inspection Committee draft a plan and bring it to the Standing Committee for study and decision."

"Alright, Secretary, I'll first prepare a preliminary opinion."

After the meeting adjourned, Zhao Lingyun followed Lu Fan into the office and, upon entering, asked, "Why did you dump the problem on me? Lu Fan, you need to draft a regulation—how should Lei Xingxing be dealt with?"

Lu Fan smiled, "Finding the problem is my job; handling it is the primary responsibility of you, the Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary, how can you ask me?"

"Don't be slick; the problem was uncovered by you, you must set the tone."

Lu Fan replied, "Then we'll follow the regulations. Didn't you just brief everyone on the 'Disciplinary Punishment Regulations'? I think the minimum should be classified as a heavier case; in fact treating it as a severe case isn't excessive, and removal of party posts or party probation would be appropriate!"

Zhao Lingyun hurriedly said, "You're pushing me into a fire pit. Have you ever seen a mayor removed for statistical falsification? No one has even received party probation!"

"You let me give suggestions, but you don't listen. Lingyun, why don't you go ask the secretary?"

"Sigh, I guess the secretary is also in a dilemma; otherwise they would have set the tone earlier."

Lu Fan thought for a moment and said seriously, "Lingyun, the Zhoujiakou City issue is very serious and has been fully exposed; a light handling cannot be explained to the public. My personal suggestion is to remove a Vice Mayor—perhaps demote or transfer them—and dismiss several County Party Secretaries and County Chiefs."

Zhao Lingyun considered and said, "Alright, I'll first draft a plan according to your suggestion and report to the secretary. Lu Fan, after handling Zhoujiakou, you need to keep a position for me—County Party Secretary or County Chief, either works. I intend to assign a Discipline Inspection Committee director to a lower post, rotating the internal positions."

"I'll try, but you know that provincial cadre appointments need the secretary's approval; you don't have to handle the governor's side, I'll coordinate. Also, Secretary Li Mingyang's opinion is important; you'd better communicate with him."

"Alas!" Zhao Lingyun sighed, "I've already dealt with Lin Dian, but I can't approach Li Mingyang. You handle it; if it doesn't work, we'll wait again. I don't want to go after him."

"Fine, I'll thicken my skin."

At noon, Lu Fan "dragged" Zhao Lingyun to the Provincial First Recruitment, where Su Xiang Hai and Wang Hong treated him to a meal, the purpose obvious. The two seek promotion; the support of the provincial Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary is crucial.

In the afternoon, Lu Fan took the two to report the work separately to Governor Liu Linghao, Executive Deputy Provincial Governor Huang Chongzhou, and Standing Committee Vice Mayor Lei Juan, seeking the leaders' support.

In the evening, Lu again invited Liu Linghao and Huang Chongzhou to the Provincial First Recruitment, where Su Xiang Hai and Wang Hong continued to host them, deepening the impression.

Lu Fan spared no effort in promoting the two.

The next morning, Lu Fan took the two to the Provincial Party Committee, reporting to Secretary Tang Bing, formally recommending cadres to the organization in the name of the Provincial Organization Department and the Nanyuan City Municipal Party Committee.

After the report, Tang Bing let the two leave first, leaving Lu Fan to converse alone.

Tang Bing directly gave a promise, saying, "Lu Fan, send them back and focus on work. In the past two years Nanyuan's social and economic projects have surged, about to surpass a trillion GDP; the Provincial Party Committee sees your work.

The provincial personnel policy is to give positions to the capable, promote the competent, prioritize the outstanding, truly judging heroes by development and merits by achievements, guiding the whole province with the standards and vigor of 'setting examples and striving ahead'; Nanyuan's personnel adjustments will be based on your opinion!"

Hearing this, Lu Fan felt reassured and replied, "Thank you for the secretary's recognition and support; Nanyue will certainly, under the strong leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, forge ahead bravely, making new strides and achieving innovative results!"

Tang Bing continued, "Last time you mentioned that Zhoujiakou City's personnel needed adjustment; I considered it and indeed it's necessary. Let the Organization Department draft an initial plan. The Deputy Director of the Provincial Industry and Information Department, Nian Fuliqiang, is experienced in economic work and principled; I suggest placing him in the position of Executive Vice Mayor of Zhoujiakou City, a good supplement to the municipal leadership. Additionally, I'm thinking of sending the Director of the Comprehensive Division One of the Provincial Party Committee Office for training; you find a suitable post for him."

The Director of Division One is Secretary Tang Bing's secretary; he hasn't served the leadership long, and now being transferred—does Secretary Tang Bing intend to leave?