Recently in Chongqing, China, Mayor Hu Henghua was officially investigated on the 20th, leaving the city party secretary Yuan Jiajun to publicly distance himself from Hu Henghua. This move raises questions about whether Yuan Jiajun’s own political future will be affected as he faces a cleansing of the military industrial system where he previously served. The political environment in Chongqing has been described as having a “curse” and poor Feng Shui, adding to the speculation surrounding Yuan Jiajun’s fate.
During a meeting of the Chongqing Municipal Committee yesterday, Yuan Jiajun, the party secretary, declared his support for the central government’s decision and called for the eradication of what is known as the “brotherhood” culture, referring to the prevalent underground secret society culture in regions like Chongqing in southwestern China.
Hu Henghua, 63, hailing from Hengyang, Hunan Province, began his political career in 2005 and served for a long time in Hunan before being appointed as the Deputy Secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee in 2020, and ultimately becoming the mayor of Chongqing in December 2021 before his recent investigation.
In Chinese Communist Party circles, when a deputy official falls, the top leader in the region is often deemed to bear “leadership responsibility.” Reports suggest that Hu Henghua’s corruption issues primarily occurred during his long tenure in Hunan, involving large-scale influence peddling by his relatives.
Hu Henghua’s downfall has drawn attention to the notion of a “curse” lingering over the political scene in Chongqing.
Ming Pao, a Hong Kong media outlet, pointed out that over the past decade, Chongqing seems to have fallen under a curse, becoming a political “dead end.” The city has seen two former Party Secretaries, Bo Xilai and Sun Zhengcai, sentenced to prison, with the former Vice Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Ren Xuefeng, falling from a building in Beijing. Additionally, three deputy mayors who also served as public security bureau chiefs (Wang Lijun, He Ting, and Deng Huilin) have been ousted. There are online jokes about the Chongqing Municipal Committee building being located on a hillside with bad Feng Shui.
Chongqing has been actively pursuing the eradication of remnants linked to the influence of Bo Xilai and Sun Zhengcai over the past decade. Several deputy ministerial-level officials from Chongqing, including Xiong Xue and Jiang Duntao, former deputy director of the Chongqing People’s Congress Zheng Hong, former municipal committee member and political and legal committee secretary Lu Kehua, and former deputy chairman of the Chongqing Political Consultative Conference Duan Chenggang, have been investigated. Wu Cunrong, the former chairman of the Shanxi Provincial Political Consultative Conference and former deputy mayor of Chongqing, has also faced disciplinary actions.
Among the four mayors of Chongqing, aside from the current Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, Huang Qifan, who once claimed to have a close relationship with Bo Xilai, faced continuous negative rumors during his tenure and has since become an internet-famous economist. Tang Liangzhi was demoted to the Chairman of the Anhui Provincial Political Consultative Conference and recently took up a position as the deputy director of the National Political Consultative Conference’s Education, Science, Health and Sports Committee. Hu Henghua, following his involvement in the Hunan building collapse incident, has now been investigated.
On a social media platform, discussions regarding Yuan Jiajun have emerged, with one user stating, “Secretary Yuan, the lone figure from the aerospace unit, trembles in the Chinese Blue House.” Another comment speculated on his move to Guangdong, indicating uncertainty about his fate after transferring to Chongqing. There were rumors that he was originally supposed to go to Guangdong.
Yuan Jiajun, the current member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party and Party Secretary of Chongqing, has recently come under scrutiny within the targeted cleansing of the military-industrial faction.
Yuan Jiajun, 63 years old, holds a Ph.D. in aircraft design from Beihang University and began his career in 1987 at the Fifth Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. From 1996 onwards, he held positions such as Vice President, President, and Deputy Secretary of the party committee of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. From November 2007 to May 2011, he served as the Deputy General Manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Group. He has connections to several high-ranking officials with military-industrial backgrounds, such as Wu Yansheng, Dai Shoulong, Lei Fanpei, Yuan Jie, and Xu Dalong, and has also served as Ma Xingrui’s deputy. Ma Xingrui, a member of the Political Bureau who was dismissed as the Xinjiang Party Secretary, went missing for a significant period, sparking rumors of his downfall.
Independent commentator Du Zheng previously mentioned in an article for Shangbao that the military-industrial system itself is relatively closed, more corrupt and dark than conventional enterprises. Officials within the same enterprise often engage in corrupt practices together, where prosperity and downfall are intertwined. With several individuals promoted by Xi Jinping facing troubles, most are implicated in internal struggles. Yuan Jiajun may not escape being caught up in the aerospace system scandal.
In April 2024, Xi Jinping visited Chongqing, with Yuan Jiajun, the Party Secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee, accompanying him. State media reported Xi Jinping’s positive feedback on the achievements in Chongqing, boosting Yuan Jiajun’s prospects, with some speculating he might be included in the 21st Party Congress.
However, Du Zheng pointed out that several Chongqing secretaries who received public support from Xi Jinping have faced problems, suggesting a potential curse. Xi Jinping has visited Chongqing with different secretaries, such as Bo Xilai, Sun Zhengcai, and Xi’s former associate, Chen Min’er, who all encountered troubles despite Xi’s initial endorsements. Chen Min’er was not promoted at the 20th Party Congress and was transferred to Tianjin, ending his succession prospects.
Du Zheng believes that following Ma Xingrui’s footsteps, Yuan Jiajun, who was endorsed by Xi Jinping during his visits to Chongqing, may also face an uncertain future in politics.