The official news from the Chinese Communist Party reported that Wei Xiaodong, the Party Secretary and Chairman of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is under investigation. Wei Xiaodong, who used to be the personnel chief in charge of Beijing under the leadership of Cai Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, and also a fellow Fujian native, suddenly fell from grace, sparking various speculations.
According to the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervisory Commission, Wei Xiaodong is under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law.”
Public records show that Wei Xiaodong, born in May 1961 in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, studied economics at Xiamen University in September 1979. In August 1983, he entered the Personnel Department of the Ministry of Labor, and in August 1994, he joined the office of the Central Organization Department. In December 2004, he became the Director of the General Office, later serving as the directors of the Second and Fourth Divisions. From October 2010, he successively held positions as the Deputy Secretary of the Luoyang Municipal Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Hebi Municipal Committee, Mayor, and Secretary of the Municipal Committee. In April 2015, he became the Secretary of the Shangqiu Municipal Committee, and in August 2016, he became the Deputy Director of the Office of the Central Organization Department. In April 2017, he was appointed as a member of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Minister of Organization. In January 2021, he became the Deputy Chairman of the People’s Congress of Beijing, and in February, he was appointed as the Deputy Secretary of the Party Group of the People’s Congress and the Chairman of the Beijing Federation of Trade Unions. In August 2021, he became the Party Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC. On January 9, 2022, he became the Chairman of the CPPCC of Beijing.
Current member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, Cai Qi, served as the Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee from May 27, 2017, to November 13, 2022. During this period, Wei Xiaodong was in charge of personnel under Cai’s administration but was later transferred to the People’s Congress, the Trade Union, and the CPPCC.
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun analyzed on X that Wei Xiaodong’s rise from the Central Organization Department to Henan came with the support of Lu Zhan, who had served as the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee in Fujian. Before Lu Zhan left Henan, he recommended Wei Xiaodong to serve as the Secretary of the Hebi Municipal Committee, giving him some local work experience. In the later period, Wei Xiaodong mainly relied on his relationship with his fellow Fujian native, Chen Xi. When Cai Qi was parachuted into Beijing in 2017 to serve as the mayor and secretary of the Municipal Committee, Chen Xi arranged for Wei Xiaodong, also a Fujian native, to become a member of the Beijing Municipal Committee and the Minister of Organization. Before the 2021 Beijing Two Sessions, Cai Qi intended to have Wei Xiaodong succeed Li Wei as the Director of the Beijing People’s Congress. However, as Li Wei was not of the required age, Wei Xiaodong was appointed as the Chairman of the CPPCC; otherwise, Wei Xiaodong would have had to retire.
Cai Shenkun suggested that Wei Xiaodong, who is a fellow Fujian native of Cai Qi and Chen Xi, and was recommended by Chen Xi to Cai Qi, being implicated in such an incident at this time is quite strange. It indicates that individuals favored by Chen Xi, including fellow Fujian natives, are also facing a reshuffle.
However, Cai Shenkun later added that it was initially thought that Wei Xiaodong was linked to Chen Xi, but the Beijing reports revealed that Wei Xiaodong was actually associated with Cai Qi. If someone like Wei Xiaodong, who is aligned with Cai Qi, is being investigated, does it imply that even Cai Qi cannot guarantee his safety? It’s quite interesting. Investigating someone at the ministerial level may normally require approved by Li Xi, but Cai Qi’s opinions may also need to be considered. Before the 21st National Congress, the internal struggles were quite intense, and it’s hard to predict who will come out ahead.
Yesterday, without any apparent warning, the official announcement came that Cai Qi would take over the position of the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China previously held by Chen Xi. Many believe that this move signifies a further expansion of Cai Qi’s influence within the party.
A frequent commentator on the CCP’s internal struggles, “Zuo Tengpeng,” expressed on X that from Wei Xiaodong’s background perspective, he has a strong Fujian clique background, as both Wei and his Fujian fellow, He Lifeng, graduated from Xiamen University in Fujian. Wei Xiaodong is undoubtedly associated with Cai Qi, but the downfall of such a person will not affect Cai Qi in the slightest. Investigating him might be at the discretion of Li Xi. Normally, those at the ministerial level on the dotted line would not be questioned directly by Xi Jinping. The decision is likely made by Li Xi now. Li Xi can be said to be acting impetuously at the moment.
Current affairs commentator Li Lin explained to Epoch Times that when Wei Xiaodong began as the Minister of the Organization Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee, Cai Qi was the mayor. However, after Cai Qi became the Party Secretary of the Municipal Committee, Wei Xiaodong only managed personnel matters for a little over three years before being transferred to a secondary position. Thus, it is difficult to conclude that he was a close confidant of Cai Qi. Of course, it cannot be ruled out that he was favored by either Cai Qi, Chen Xi, or some other high-ranking CCP official. The key issue is that the internal struggle within the CCP is currently chaotic, as those in power are all corrupt and vulnerable. In such a movement, those with a stronghold can only focus on self-preservation and have no time for their old associates.
Previously, Dong Guibo, former Party Secretary and Director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Zhejiang Province, was under investigation on May 29. Dong Guibo’s career was also once greatly promoted by Cai Qi, who was then the Minister of Organization of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee.