Informant reports threats after post

A whistleblower who provided her real name while reporting graft claimed she has received death threats.

On Jan 11, Chen Xiuping, of Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, alleged in an online post that Tian Liqin, former deputy head of the Fujian Securities Regulatory Bureau, had 16 properties totaling 50 million yuan ($8 million) - well beyond her income level. In the post, Chen listed the addresses of the properties and their registration status

Chen said she received harassing phone calls at all hours after making the allegation. She said she would pick up the phone and hear nothing but an silence.

She added she was once approached by a stranger on the street who told her to back off or she would "die in an ugly manner".

On Jan 14, the Fujian Securities Regulatory Bureau confirmed to China Daily that the country's top securities regulator, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, had launched a probe into Chen's report.

A staff member with the bureau, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Thursday the allegation is still being investigated.

"My post contained enough details about Tian's properties. It should have been not difficult to double-check it," Chen said.

Chen said she hopes authorities will handle the case fairly and respond to her as soon as possible.

In January, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China, the nation's top discipline watchdog, called for more whistle-blowers to use their real names, instead of online pseudonyms, when reporting disciplinary violations by government officials and promised to prioritize such tips.

Zhuang Deshui, deputy director at the Research Center for Government Integrity Building of Peking University, said real-name reporting could be dangerous for informants and efforts must be taken to protect them.

Contact the writers at sunli@chinadaily.com.cn