University official tries to detain reporter

By Li Xinran  |   2008-12-19  |     ONLINE EDITION

A UNIVERSITY official threatened to detain a reporter on Wednesday during an interview about the school's credit-card application scandal.

Qiang Jianzhou, the head of the press office of Xidian University and also a professor of moral education at the school in Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, was being interviewed by China Radio reporter Yang Chao about the school stealing students' personal information to apply for credit cards.

When Yang asked Qiang about the scandal, the professor replied that it was unnecessary to keep students' information as banks are organizations based on trusteeship, according to the radio station's report.

The credit card scandal was exposed on December 6. Several students in the university found their personal information had been used to apply for credit cards at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. None of the students received their credit card and were not notified about the application.

A further investigation by students using the bank's hotline found that thousands of students at the university were involved. Their personal information was leaked to the bank by the school authority without authorization, the report said.

China Radio reported that the university and the bank collaborated with one another.

Similar scandals have involved financial institutions encouraging enterprises or organizations to apply for credit cards on behalf of their members. Commissions or rebates were promised by banks to reward the company or organization if they did so.

The university apologized after the scandal was exposed.

Meanwhile, during the interview, Qiang shouted a vague threat: "I will do something to shock the whole country. I will occupy Tianya.cn."

It was unclear if he meant hacking into the popular Website known for exposing scandals, if he would organize a group of people to occupy the Website's office or if it was just an empty threat.

When Yang planned to leave Qiang's office, he tried to stop her. Qiang even threatened to call a security guard to restrain her. After Yang told him the charges he may face for illegal detention, he allowed her to leave the office.

Qiang's words were recorded and broadcast by China Radio yesterday morning.

A Tianya.cn executive said he would like to see how Qiang would occupy the Website's popular forums and what he would do after occupying it.