Wei Cheng is a character in the Grand Theft Auto series, appearing as a secondary antagonist in Grand Theft Auto V.
Biography
Background
Cheng is a Chinese born mobster from Yangshan, who leads the Los Santos Triads, primarily dealing in gunrunning and meth manufacturing. By 2013, his operation has grown heavily and he seeks to expand his business into Blaine County, through collaboration with an already functioning group there.
Events of GTA V
Expanding businesses
In order to fulfill his goal of expanding into Blaine County, Cheng sends his eldest son, Tao, and a translator to make contact with Trevor Philips, one of the area's most prominent meth dealers. However, an attack on Trevor's meth kitchen by a group of vengeful Aztecas gangbangers dissuades Tao and the translator from working with him, instead deciding to collaborate with the O'Neil brothers gang. This change of plans prompts Trevor to raid the O'Neil brothers' farm, killing most of them and destroying their meth kitchens.
Capturing Michael
An enraged Wei tells his men to capture Trevor, but by then he had already left Blaine County and moved to Los Santos. Later on, after kidnapping Patricia Madrazo and thus being forced to lie low to avoid her husband, Trevor and his friend, Michael De Santa are forced to go into hiding at Trevor's trailer in Blaine County. Cheng's men find Trevor here and mistakenly assume Michael is Trevor's lover and Patricia is their maid.
Cheng's men chase Trevor and Michael to Ludendorff, North Yankton, where Trevor had gone to find out about Brad Snider's fate and Michael had gone to stop him. There, they attack the duo and capture Michael, while Trevor gets away. Wei calls Trevor afterwards and threatens to kill Michael if Trevor doesn't hand over his business in Blaine County, a threat which Trevor ignores due to his feud with Michael. Wei orders for Michael's execution at the meat packing plant he's being held, but he gets rescued at the last minute by Franklin Clinton.
Endings
In the game's ending, Franklin is left with a choice to either kill Michael or Trevor, or to side with them as they attack all of their enemies ("Deathwish"), including Wei Cheng. If the player chooses the "Deathwish" ending, Franklin will drive to the beach club in Pacific Bluffs, where Wei Cheng is located, and kill him.
Missions appearances
- GTA V
- Bury the Hatchet (Voice)
- Fresh Meat
- The Third Way (Killed)
Trivia
- After Franklin Clinton rescues Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips can call Wei Cheng and he will inform Trevor that Michael was rescued along with antagonizing Trevor some more.
- Wei Cheng's name could be a reference to the Sleeping Dogs' protagonist, Wei Shen.
- Per chinese naming custom, Wei Cheng and Tao Cheng's names are incorrectly constructed. In Chinese naming custom, the family name comes first, while the given name comes last. During the mission Fresh Meat, Trevor identifies that Wei and Tao are from Yangshan in China, meaning they were born in Chinese soil, where the naming custom must be upheld by law. Thus, the correct way for them to be named would have been Cheng Wei and Cheng Tao.