Former Shanxi provincial governor Jin Xiangjun was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve in the first instance, accused of accepting bribes totaling more than 1.48 billion yuan. Jin Xiangjun was toppled from his position in April last year.
On September 8, the Intermediate People’s Court of Xinyang City, Henan Province, publicly pronounced the first-instance verdict. Jin Xiangjun, former deputy secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee and former governor of the province, was sentenced to death for bribery, with a two-year reprieve. He was also deprived of political rights for life and had all his personal assets confiscated.
According to the court, from the first half of 2004 to April 2025, the defendant Jin Xiangjun took advantage of his positions as mayor and party secretary of Yulin City and Fangchenggang City in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as deputy mayor and deputy party secretary of Tianjin, vice secretary of the Tianjin Municipal Committee, deputy secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee, and governor of the province. He provided assistance to relevant units and individuals in enterprise operations, project contracting, and job promotions, directly or through others, in exchange for illegal gains totaling more than 1.48 billion yuan.
On April 12th last year, Jin Xiangjun was officially investigated, followed by his expulsion from the party in October, while simultaneously being handed over to the judiciary. On June 11 this year, the Intermediate People’s Court of Xinyang City publicly held a trial for the case.
Public records indicate that the 62-year-old Jin Xiangjun previously held positions such as mayor and party secretary of Yulin City and Fangchenggang City in Guangxi, as well as vice mayor, standing committee member of the Tianjin Municipal Committee, secretary-general, and deputy secretary of the Tianjin Municipal Committee. In December 2022, he was appointed deputy secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee and acting governor, and was officially appointed governor of Shanxi Province in January 2023, until his investigation was announced on April 12 last year.
At that time, anti-communist internet celebrity Yin Ke in Australia had previously leaked through an X platform account on April 11 that Jin Xiangjun was under investigation. On April 13, Yin Ke further revealed that Jin Xiangjun’s downfall was orchestrated through operations by Li Ganjie, former Minister of the Organization Department, using connections with Jin’s wife to secure a position as deputy secretary and governor of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, and then attempted to become the Party Secretary of Inner Mongolia. Jin’s wife and Li Ganjie’s wife were also allegedly involved in selling titles and positions.