On June 26th, a small plane crashed into the tallest landmark in Beijing, the CITIC Tower (also known as the “China Zun”), resulting in the pilot’s death and 13 injuries. The Chinese Civil Aviation Administration announced on July 20th that two Beijing aviation companies involved were ordered to temporarily cease operations. Speculation arose about political motives behind the plane crash, drawing attention to the backgrounds of these two enterprises.
The North China Regional Administration of the Chinese Communist Civil Aviation issued a notice on July 20th, declaring a temporary production and operation suspension for the aircraft involved, owned by Dongshi Shuangyue (Beijing) General Aviation (referred to as Dongshi Shuangyue) and another Beijing general aviation company, Dongshi Kunpeng (Beijing) General Aviation (referred to as Dongshi Kunpeng).
According to official announcements from the Civil Aviation Network’s official WeChat account, the two companies had not been conducting flight operations for an extended period, rendering it impossible to verify the qualifications of the flight personnel and the airworthiness of the aircraft to meet the safety requirements for the operation permits applied for, posing significant safety risks. Citing the “Safety Production Law,” the two companies were ordered to immediately rectify the hazards, temporarily cease production and business operations, and halt the use of aircraft. During this period, they were prohibited from engaging in any flight-related business activities. Following the elimination of major safety hazards, approval from the North China Regional Administration’s safety inspection would be required before business operations could resume.
Public records indicate that Dongshi Shuangyue, one of the penalized companies, was registered on November 12, 2020, in Pinggu, Beijing. The legal representative is Cao Jianfeng, with a registered capital of 30 million yuan, and the enterprise is currently in normal operation, jointly held by East Fashion International Aviation Development Co., Ltd. (referred to as East Fashion) and Shandong Dahe Investment Co., Ltd. (referred to as Shandong Dahe).
The other penalized company, Dongshi Kunpeng, was established on September 6, 2024, with its registered location in Fangshan District, Beijing. The legal representative is Shen Bin, with a registered capital of 10 million yuan and the company is in operation, held by three individuals.
Although Dongshi Shuangyue and Dongshi Kunpeng are under different investment entities, they are both business-related companies within the same brand system serving the strategic East Fashion Aviation. Their general aviation business permits are distinct, with Dongshi Shuangyue authorized for manned operational flights, while Dongshi Kunpeng only possesses non-passenger and sport flight training-related operating rights.
East Fashion Driving School Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Beijing Delong District.
Public records show that in 1995, the Beijing East Fashion Motor Driving School was established, controlled by Xu Jingsong. In 2005, Xu Xiong, brother of Xu Jingsong, invested to establish East Fashion Driving School Co., Ltd. On February 5, 2016, East Fashion was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, becoming the first driver training company from mainland China to be listed in the securities market. In April 2018, East Fashion established East Fashion International Aviation Development Co., Ltd., entering the civil aviation pilot training field.
On September 15, 2023, East Fashion Chairman Xu Xiong was arrested on suspicion of market manipulation. Subsequently, Xu Jingsong, Xu Xiong’s brother, assumed the position of chairman. During Xu Jingsong’s tenure as chairman, the company’s operation deteriorated continuously, leading to his dismissal on February 26, 2025. He was succeeded by Sun Xiang, who is the former wife of the previous chairman, Xu Xiong.
On the evening of June 26th, a light sports aircraft in Beijing collided with the upper part of the 108-story CITIC Tower, creating a hole. The following day, Beijing Chaoyang authorities briefly reported that the aircraft had only one pilot who was deceased, with 13 people injured on site. On July 2nd, authorities revealed that the aircraft involved was an Alaris SA60L single-engine two-seat propeller light aircraft, with registration number B-12PP. The pilot of the aircraft was a 66-year-old man surnamed Liu from Beijing, a freelancer who lived alone and divorced, obtaining a sports flight license in 2021 and a private flight license in 2024.
Officially, it was stated that this was an incident endangering public safety due to personal reasons. The location of the incident was not mentioned as the CITIC Tower, nor was the aircraft’s affiliation and the airport of departure.
In contrast to the official report of the incident as a “case of endangering public safety due to personal reasons,” information from sources within the Chinese Communist system shared with Dajiyuan revealed that authorities initially concluded that the pilot “deliberately crashed the plane,” categorizing it internally as a terrorist attack.