Former Deputy Chief of the United Front Work Department of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, He Chunjun, has been indicted for “receiving gifts in violation of regulations” and accepting banquets.
On May 27, the Hebei Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision announced eight cases of violating the CCP’s “Eight-point Regulations” on its website. According to the announcement, He Chunjun accepted gifts and cash totaling over 680,000 yuan (RMB) from 11 management and service targets between 2013 and 2020, taking advantage of occasions such as the Lunar New Year. Additionally, between 2013 and 2017, he accepted banquets arranged by management and service targets on eight occasions, during which he consumed high-end dishes and drinks. He was also expelled from the party for “other serious violations of discipline and laws” and the criminal issues involved were transferred to the procuratorate for review and prosecution.
Public information shows that He Chunjun was born in June 1968 and has held various positions such as Member of the Fengrun District Committee of Tangshan City, Deputy District Head, Deputy Secretary of the District Committee, District Head, and Secretary of the Kaiping District Committee. In 2017, he became the Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Tangshan City.
In May 2020, He Chunjun was transferred to Deputy Mayor of the Cangzhou Municipal Committee and in January 2023, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of the United Front Work Department of the Hebei Provincial Committee. He was investigated in August 2024.
On the same day, other individuals who were expelled and indicted along with He Chunjun include: Cheng Guochun, a second-level researcher at the Handan City Transportation Bureau, Wang Jianping, the captain of the Comprehensive Law Enforcement Detachment of the City Transportation Enforcement Support Team, Shao Guangdong, Deputy Director of the City Finance Bureau, Sun Guishi, former Party Secretary of Tangshan Normal College, Zhao Jijun, former Party Secretary and Director of the Shijiazhuang Municipal Bureau of Gardens, Wang Chang, former Deputy County Head of Changli County in Qinhuangdao City, He Baohong, former director of the Funeral Management Service Center in Xingtai City, Yan Lei, former Party member and Deputy County Head of Yanshan County in Cangzhou City, and Yue Yunbo, former Party Secretary and Director of the Agricultural and Rural Development Bureau of Yongqing County in Langfang City.
According to the announcement, some of them engaged in irregular eating and drinking, accepting and giving gifts and cash, some abused their authority to collect fees, some were negligent or acted inappropriately.
At the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2012, Xi Jinping succeeded as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party. On December 4 of the same year, a meeting of the Political Bureau passed the “Eight Rules for Improving Work Style and Strengthening Interaction with the Masses of the 18th Central Committee,” also known as the “Eight-point Regulations.”
The CCP’s state media often mentions these regulations but less openly publicizes their content mainly because they depict the ugly side of the party’s officialdom. The regulations include improving investigation and research, streamlining meeting activities, simplifying document briefings, regulating overseas visits, improving security work, enhancing news reporting, strictly controlling the publication of written material, and practicing diligence, frugality, and economy in eight aspects.