Part 7/12:
This economic drain is further reinforced by a system dominated by a triangle of power: local officials, businessmen, and criminal elements. County party secretaries act as mini-emperors, controlling land, budgets, and projects. Beneath them, officials manage public services while local businessmen speculate on land and infrastructure projects—often bribing officials to secure government subsidies. At the bottom, illicit groups handle nightlife, monopolies, and underground activities, perpetuating a cycle of corruption and exploitation.