Intense infighting within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has led to reports of abnormal deaths of high-ranking officials. Jiang Youwei, the chief secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Committee and a key figure in the Party, has been conspicuously absent from several important events in April. Rumors are circulating that he tragically fell to his death last week.
According to a report by Hong Kong’s Ming Pao on April 29, there are widespread rumors that Jiang Youwei, a standing committee member of the CCP Liaoning Provincial Committee and secretary, died from falling last week. As of the time of the Epoch Times’ report, the official CCP channels and state media have not released any related information.
Jiang, as the top aide of the provincial committee, usually accompanies the provincial secretary, Xu Kunlin, to various official activities. However, according to information on the Liaoning Provincial government’s website, from Tuesday (April 14) to Friday of last week, Xu Kunlin participated in numerous research and meeting activities without Jiang Youwei appearing in the official list of accompanying leaders.
During this period, Liaoning Province signed strategic cooperation framework agreements with Huatai Securities Co., Ltd., China Merchants Group Limited, China Rongtong Asset Management Group Limited, etc. Xu Kunlin and the provincial governor Wang Xinwei met with leaders of these enterprises and jointly attended the signing ceremony. Notably, Jiang Youwei’s name did not appear on the official list of accompanying personnel in the press releases.
Furthermore, during Xu Kunlin’s meeting with the chairman of China Energy Construction Group on April 10 and a research visit to the Liaoning State Security Department, Jiang Youwei was present. The most recent public appearance of Jiang Youwei was on April 13 when he attended a collective meeting with Xu Kunlin and the party secretaries and presidents of universities across Liaoning Province.
Public information reveals that Jiang Youwei, born in 1967 in Jilin Province, has held various positions in his hometown, including Director of the Jilin Provincial Economic Commission, Director of the Industrial and Information Technology Department, Secretary of the Liao Yuan Municipal Committee, Director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, and Deputy Governor. In 2017, he was appointed as the Mayor of Shenyang City, Deputy Governor of Liaoning Province, and in September 2023, he became a standing committee member and secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Committee.
Liaoning, a major northeastern province in China known for its heavy industry, has experienced sluggish economic growth in recent years. Last year, its GDP growth rate was at the bottom nationwide at 3.7%, ranking 17th in total GDP. In the first quarter of this year, Liaoning’s GDP only increased by 2.8% compared to the same period last year, far below the national average of 5%, once again ranking at the bottom nationwide.
The Ming Pao report suggests that with Liaoning’s slow economic growth in recent years, Xu Kunlin faces immense pressure. The news of the alleged death of his top aide, Jiang Youwei, by falling from a building at this critical juncture, adds further challenges to the province, creating a situation of piling on after misfortune.