On August 27, 2026, Zhang Hong, the Deputy Director of the Civil Affairs Department of Gansu Province, was investigated for serious violations of discipline and law, as reported by the Gansu Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision. Zhang Hong, born in November 1968 in Zhangye, Gansu Province, had a long career in Jiuquan City, holding various positions such as Deputy Secretary-General of the Jiuquan Municipal Party Committee, Director of the Office, Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, and Deputy Mayor in charge of space launch support related matters. Zhang Hong was a former subordinate of the late Zhang Anjiang, who served as the Mayor of Jiuquan City and passed away under unusual circumstances on May 7, 2026, while holding the position of Deputy Mayor and Director of the Public Security Bureau in Chongqing, with rumors suggesting that he died by falling from a building.
After diligently serving in various roles in Jiuquan City for many years, Zhang Hong was appointed as a member of the Party leadership group and Deputy Director of the Civil Affairs Department of Gansu Province in November 2022. His career included positions such as Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, District Governor, and Secretary of the District Party Committee in Jiuquan City. The city, historically known as Suzhou, has been a strategic transportation hub connecting the Central Plains to the Western Regions and a vital town along the Silk Road. Additionally, Jiuquan established the first oil base after the establishment of the Communist Party of China and became an important nuclear industry and aerospace base. The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, a key national aerospace facility, is located in Huayin Town, Jinta County, Jiuquan City.
During his tenure as a member of the Party Standing Committee, Secretary-General, and Deputy Mayor of Jiuquan City from 2020 to 2022, Zhang Hong played a crucial role in overseeing several national manned spaceflight and satellite launch missions, including Shenzhou-12 and Shenzhou-13, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. He also led emergency response coordination meetings as the head of the Jiuquan Safety Committee.
In his capacity as a member of the Party Standing Committee, Secretary-General, or Deputy Mayor, Zhang Hong actively participated in various aerospace industry projects, commercial aerospace initiatives, and local service support related to aerospace affairs. For instance, in December 2020, he attended the signing ceremony of the strategic cooperation framework agreement for the Zhongan Aerospace City Industrial Complex project, promoting the development of the Jiuquan “Commercial Aerospace Port” and its related tourism industry. In September 2021, Zhang Hong accompanied Jiuquan City Party Secretary Wang Liqi in meeting with executives from large energy companies such as Jingneng Group and Three Gorges Energy to facilitate cooperation on supporting aerospace cities and new energy industry projects in the surrounding areas.
In the past few months, several officials in Jiuquan City have also been under investigation, including Xu Qingjun, Chairman of the Scientific and Technological Association of Subei County, with the title of a fourth-level researcher (as of August 26, 2026); Wu Hongjun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Agriculture and Rural Bureau in Guazhou County, with the title of a fourth-level researcher (as of July 31, 2026); Zhao Yanxia, Deputy Director of Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital in Guazhou County (as of July 2, 2026); Yang Dongping, former member of the Party group and Deputy Director of the Forestry Bureau in Jiuquan City (as of June 11, 2026); He Tianchun, a third-level researcher at the Market Supervision Administration of Jinta County, Jiuquan City (as of June 8, 2026).
These investigations reflect the ongoing efforts to uphold discipline and integrity among officials in Gansu Province and continue the anti-corruption campaign in various regions, aiming to ensure clean governance and foster public trust in the Party and government institutions.