Last year in November, Wang Fengchao, the former Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Chengdu Municipal Committee and Mayor of Chengdu City in Sichuan Province, who fell from grace, has been expelled from the CPC and removed from public office. The official report stated that he was guilty of “lazy governance” and “irresponsible remarks against the central government”.
According to the website of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, the official report indicated that Wang Fengchao had serious deviations in his views on achievements, engaging in “image projects” and “achievement projects”, making irresponsible remarks against the central policies of the party, resisting inspection, seeking personal gains for others in the selection and appointment of cadres, and accepting bribes; illegally accepting gifts, money, engaging in profit-making activities.
The report also revealed that Wang Fengchao intervened and interfered in market economic activities, judicial activities, engaged in lazy governance, engaged in power and money transactions, utilized his position for personal gains in project contracting, fundraising, and business operations for others, and unlawfully received substantial amounts of money.
Wang Fengchao was expelled from the CPC, removed from public office, had his status as a representative of the 20th CPC National Congress terminated, and has been prosecuted.
Public records show that Wang Fengchao, 60 years old this year, from Zhongjiang, Sichuan, had worked for a long time in large state-owned enterprises, such as the Changhong Electronics Group, where he held positions including Vice Chairman and CEO of Changhong Electric Corporation. In 2005, he became the Deputy Mayor of Neijiang City in Sichuan Province; in 2007, he became the Deputy Director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Sichuan Province; after 2010, he successively served as Vice Chairman, General Manager, Chairman, Party Secretary of Sichuan Airlines Group. In 2015, Wang Fengchao was appointed as Chairman and Party Secretary of Sichuan Development (Holdings) Co., Ltd. In 2019, he became the Deputy Governor of Sichuan Province, reaching the rank of Deputy Minister; in 2020, he was appointed as Deputy Secretary of the CPC Chengdu Municipal Committee, Deputy Mayor, and Mayor. Wang Fengchao was investigated on November 26 last year.
Multiple sources disclosed to mainland media Economic Observer that on the morning of November 22, 2025, Wang Fengchao was taken away for investigation in Chengdu, along with his family and staff. Allegedly, a businessman with the surname Ou who had close ties with Wang Fengchao during his tenure at Changhong Corporation had been investigated even before Wang Fengchao.
Wang Fengchao is the latest official to be reported for making irresponsible remarks against the central government, but the specific comments involved are currently unknown.
In recent years, many high-ranking officials have been brought down for reasons such as making irresponsible remarks against the central government, but the content of these remarks is often not disclosed. Former Tianjin Municipal Committee Standing Committee member and Organization Department Minister Zhou Derui fell from grace last year, and it was reported that he made irresponsible remarks against the central government. In March this year, Zhou’s remarks were exposed online, including sarcasm about Xi’s “common prosperity” and real estate policies, sparking heated discussions.
CPC officials often emphasize loyalty to Xi Jinping in public statements. However, Ma Ruilin, the former Deputy Secretary of the United Front Work Department of Gansu Province who defected to the United States two years ago, recently confirmed in an interview with CNN that most people within the system do not like the party leader, Xi Jinping, but merely praise him outwardly.
Wang Fengchao was also reported for governance issues.
In recent years, a trend of officials “lying flat” (slacking off) has emerged in the officialdom. Previously, official media reported that officials engaged in activities such as gambling, drug use, playing games, online shopping, watching adult content, and even adultery during working hours.
Legal expert Yuan Hongbing, who resides in Australia, told Epoch Times that the CPC is currently facing an unprecedented crisis. “Not only are ordinary people ‘lying flat’ now, but the biggest crisis of the CCP dictatorship is that almost all corrupt officials are ‘lying flat’ and neglecting their duties, and since the 20th CPC National Congress, Xi Jinping has had to destroy the Xi family army he personally cultivated, which shows that almost everyone around Xi Jinping is two-faced.”