| June 9, 2013 | Five court officials from the Shanghai Higher People’s Court were invited to dinner at the Hengshan Resort (an appointed place for official receptions and government business trips) in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area and accompanied by escorts. |
| June 13, 2013 | A whistleblower surnamed Ni obtained video of the rendezvous after claiming to hotel staff items were stolen during his stay and demanded to see surveillance video. He used a cellphone, iPad and other devices to capture the video footage and later leaked it online. |
| August 1, 2013 | A 10-minute video clip showing five officials soliciting prostitutes was posted online. |
| August 2, 2013 | The Shanghai Higher People's Court published an official announcement, saying it was aware of the report and had launched an investigation. Sources at the court said the court officials would face serious punishment if the report was found to be true. |
| August 2, 2013 | The court announced it was investigating a claim that several senior officials of the court, including Chen Xueming and three others, had solicited prostitutes. |
| August 4, 2013 | Municipal disciplinary authorities in Shanghai announced that four local court officials embroiled in accusations of soliciting prostitutes have been suspended from their positions and are under investigation. |
The Global Times: Officials must pay high price for moral weakness
It's obvious that the four underestimated the supervisory power of society and public opinion. But the supervision within the system over such behavior from officials is weak. If the circle of judges in Shanghai held a zero-tolerance attitude to soliciting prostitutes in nightclubs, even if the four judges had been addicted to prostitutes, they would not have gone together with such abandon.
Southern Metropolis Daily (editorial): Public crucial to check official power
The indiscretions of judges should be highlighted, as they reveal the dark side of the current Chinese judicial system. However, the public should focus on more than passing judgment, but demanding investigations into the daily work of government officials and keeping their abuses in check.
The Beijing News: Judge our judges to save our legal system
Law is basis of civilized society, and judges uphold the law. Through improper behavior, such as soliciting prostitutes, these guardians of civilization destroy the credibility of the judicial system. If the case is not investigated thoroughly, the public has no reason to believe in the system.
Xiaoxiang Morning Herald: No scandal is safe from rule of law
The recent sex scandals will be judged in accordance with truth and law. These cases not only reveal an unprofessional lifestyle among judges, but also involve maintaining judicial power in society. Inappropriate behavior among judges destroys the image of the judicial system and harms the foundation on which the rule of law stands.
The Beijing Times: Probes key to rebuilding credibility
From a judges’ perspective, such vices as formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance are the sources of social injustice and the roots of corruption. Judges who accept expensive dinners and solicit prostitutes are complying with such behaviors. Probes into such cases can result in exposing serious corruption.
The Global Times (Chinese edition): Ban officials from nightclubs
Nightclubs are synonymous with sex and scandal. Even if nothing illegal is taking place, officials who frequent such places can develop a negative public image. Therefore we must ban officials from nightclubs in order to protect them.
Liu Zonghong, director of the History and Research Department at the Party School of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee
The monitoring of the private lives of officials is key to the Party's anti-corruption campaign. As public figures, one official with a bad reputation can tarnish public trust in the government overall. The Party has called for the strengthening of supervision over the private lives of officials, which can only be achieved through intra-Party moral education.
Source: Global Times