Last week, one Chinese official found an embarrassing way to lose his job.
Bao Xuwei, an education bureau official in Taishun county of Zhejiang province, was photographed last Friday being carried over a muddy puddle left by Typhoon Meranti. The photo quickly found its way online where Bao was promptly identified and shamed.
Just as quickly, the local education bureau announced that they were conducting an investigation into what had happened, and that Bao had been dismissed from his post.
According to ECNS, Bao claimed that he has been falsely convicted by the court of public opinion. He said that on the day in question he went straight from a meeting to the disaster-stricken area, and didn’t have any time to change into some waterproof shoes. As he was attempting to navigate the puddles, two insurance company workers approached him and lifted him up. It was only for a few seconds, Bao claims.
The workers later confirmed Bao’s account of the events, saying that it was a one-time thing and that they had lifted up others just like Bao. Even the photographer who took the viral picture has apologized for the controversy that the photo has caused, stating that he had only wanted to take some pictures of people helping one another.
In the end, this just goes to show why Premier Li Keqiang is always so careful to stand ankle-deep in the water:
Why stand in the water when there are steps just behind you? pic.twitter.com/5GYxFiiAy2
— Chris Buckley 储百亮 (@ChuBailiang) July 6, 2016
We know one guy who could never cut it as a Chinese official.
