In a recent update from the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Supervisory Commission website on April 30th, it was revealed that two high-ranking officials with the surname Yi have been ensnared in corruption scandals, resulting in their downfall. Both officials, Yi Huiman and Yi Lianhong, who are members of the 20th Central Committee of the CCP, have been stripped of their party memberships and public positions.
Yi Huiman, the former chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission and a member of the 20th Central Committee, has been expelled from the party, had his delegate qualifications for the 20th Party Congress revoked, and is under official investigation. He is accused of engaging in activities that contradict significant market decisions, benefiting relatives through abuse of power, involvement in illicit transactions, and accepting substantial bribes. One of the charges against him includes participating in superstitious activities.
The 62-year-old Yi Huiman had a long career at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China for 35 years before assuming the position of chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission in 2019. His sudden removal from office in February 2024, during a period of significant stock market decline, was met with speculation as the official reasons were not disclosed.
Following his departure, Yi Huiman was appointed as a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the Deputy Director of the Economic Committee. However, in September of last year, he was officially placed under investigation.
It is reported that several of Yi Huiman’s family members have also been implicated in the corruption probe, indicating potential issues related to familial corruption. The investigation may extend beyond his tenure at the regulatory commission and encompass corruption within the Industrial and Commercial Bank system.
Another high-ranking official with the surname Yi, Yi Lianhong, has also fallen from grace. According to the announcement from the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on April 30th, the delegate status of five individuals, including Yi Lianhong, has been terminated. Yi Lianhong, who held key positions in Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces, served as the secretary of the Communist Party of the two provinces, holding significant regional authority.
Born in Hunan and aged 67, Yi Lianhong, with a career spanning multiple provinces including Hunan, Liaoning, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang, was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the 14th National People’s Congress Finance and Economic Committee after stepping down from his position as the Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee in November 2024.
On February 10, 2026, Yi Lianhong was officially placed under investigation. Reports indicate that several of his family members in Changsha, Hunan, are also under scrutiny.
Both Yi Huiman and Yi Lianhong, as high-ranking officials within the CCP, members of the 20th Central Committee, and implicated in family corruption, had their delegate qualifications terminated on the same day, one as a party representative and the other as a national representative. There is no evidence to suggest a direct familial relationship between the two.
The surname Yi is relatively uncommon in China and holds a less prominent position in the list of Chinese surnames. The population with the surname Yi is primarily concentrated in regions such as Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Jiangxi.
Among high-ranking CCP officials, the number of individuals with the surname Yi is minimal. Previously, there was another senior official with the surname Yi, Yi Gang, a Central Bank Governor and candidate member of the 19th Central Committee, who has now retired from frontline leadership positions.