Former member of the Central Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party, Ma Xingrui, was transferred to the judiciary earlier this month. Gao Shiwen, former mayor of Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, who served as Ma Xingrui’s secretary in the aerospace system, was dismissed from his position as a representative of the 14th People’s Congress of Jiangxi Province yesterday (29th). Some analysts suggest that Gao Shiwen may have been internally dealt with to avoid criminal punishment.
The Standing Committee of the Jiangxi Provincial People’s Congress of the Communist Party of China issued a public announcement yesterday, stating that the Fuzhou Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee decided to dismiss Gao Shiwen from his position as a representative of the 14th People’s Congress of the province, thus terminating his qualification as a representative.
According to Hong Kong media Ming Pao, the authorities have not disclosed the handling of Gao Shiwen to the public, and it is anticipated that he may have been handled internally to avoid criminal punishment.
Since February this year, Gao Shiwen has been absent from important meetings in Nanchang City. The weekly updates of “Gao Shiwen’s Weekly Political Affairs” by the Nanchang City Government’s new media account were halted on February 8, amid rumors of his interrogation.
On June 11, Gao Shiwen’s personal information disappeared from the “Leadership of the City Government” section on the Nanchang City Government website.
His public resume indicates that Gao Shiwen, a 52-year-old native of Qingzhou, Shandong Province, graduated from university in 1997 and has been working in the aerospace system for nearly 20 years. From 2007 to 2013, during Ma Xingrui’s tenure as General Manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Gao Shiwen held various positions in the company, including Deputy Secretary at the office, Assistant Director and Secretary at the General Manager’s office.
Ma Xingrui left China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation in 2013. In 2014, Gao Shiwen was promoted to Vice President of China Aerospace International Holdings Limited, and later appointed Vice President of China Aerospace International Holdings Limited and Chairman of Hainan Aerospace Investment Management Co., Ltd. In 2016, he served as Deputy Mayor of Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, and was promoted to Mayor of Nanchang City in 2024.
Ma Xingrui stepped down as Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in July of last year, with official statements citing “another appointment.” On April 3 this year, Ma Xingrui was officially reported to be under investigation while holding the position of Deputy Leader of the Central Rural Work Leading Group.
On July 14, Ma Xingrui was expelled from the party and public office (“double regulation”) and sent to the prosecutor’s office for review and prosecution. Official reports mentioned that Ma Xingrui “seriously violated political discipline and political rules,” and “seriously violated disciplinary laws and regulations and allowed oversight and mismanagement issues”; engaged in widespread familial corruption and “traded power and money for illicit activities.”