After two years of retirement, Guo Wenqing, the former general manager of China Minmetals Corporation, suddenly fell from grace. Guo had a connection with former Chairman of the National People’s Congress, Li Zhanshu, during his early career in Hebei. He was a former subordinate of Li Zhanshu.
The Central Discipline Inspection Commission of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervision Commission announced on July 31st that Guo Wenqing, former Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party Committee and General Manager of China Minmetals Corporation, is suspected of “serious violations of discipline and law” and has voluntarily surrendered for investigation.
Public records show that the 61-year-old Guo Wenqing, a native of Xinglong, Hebei, had a long career in Hebei. Since July 1985, he held various positions such as a teacher in Xinglong County, secretary of the Education Bureau, secretary of the County Government, head of the Secretariat, Vice Mayor of Beiying Township, secretary at different administrative levels in Chengde Prefecture, and secretary in the Office of the Hebei Provincial Committee, among others.
In 2008, Guo Wenqing joined China Metallurgical Group Corporation and in 2009 assumed positions at MCC Group. He later served as Chairman of China Metallurgical Group Corporation and General Manager and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of MCC Group. In May 2016, he transferred to China Minmetals Corporation as Director, General Manager, and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, retiring from the position in May 2024.
China Minmetals Corporation, established in 1950, is a state-owned enterprise directly managed by the Central Government with metal mining as its core business.
Within the MCC system, several individuals have come under scrutiny. In April 2024, former President of China MCC, Zhang Mengxing, was investigated six months after retirement. In June 2024, Song Zhanjiang, former Party Secretary and Chairman of China MCC Group, was investigated. Following suit, Qü Haiyan, the Chairman of the MCC Group Labor Union, was investigated in September 2024, and Leng Tiesong, Party Secretary and Chairman of China Metallurgical Construction Group, was probed in October 2024. In January 2026, Shen Jianyuan, Assistant General Manager of Shanghai Bao Ye Construction Engineering Co., Ltd., was investigated, and in July 2026, Zhao Guangli, former Chairman of China Third Metallurgical Group, was also implicated.
Guo Wenqing, the latest to fall from grace, had connections with Li Zhanshu, former Chairman of the NPC.
Li Zhanshu, considered a confidant of Xi Jinping, hails from Pingshan, Hebei, and held various positions in Hebei before rising in the party rankings. During his tenure in Chengde, Guo Wenqing served as his secretary. Guo had been a member of the Hebei Provincial Committee Secretariat, which Li Zhanshu managed.
Independent commentator Cai Shunkun on Platform X remarked that Guo Wenqing served as the General Manager of China Minmetals Corporation from 2016 to 2024, retiring from the position, presuming a peaceful ending to his career, especially with the endorsement of his former superior, Li Zhanshu. However, he ultimately could not escape his downfall.