On November 5, an official indictment was formally filed against Ma Xingshui, a former member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Political Bureau, on charges of bribery. The allegations against him span over 25 years, dating back to when he served as the Deputy General Manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Over the past three years, numerous high-ranking officials within the military-industrial sector have faced similar downfalls, many of whom had direct professional ties to Ma Xingshui. The unfolding details of this corruption scandal and its impact on the Chinese military-industrial system and power dynamics have captured considerable public attention.
Ma Xingshui began his career at China Aerospace Corporation’s Fifth Academy (China Academy of Space Technology) as Vice President in May 1996. By September 1999, he was promoted to Deputy General Manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, and in September 2007, he took on the role of General Manager. Between March 2013 and December 2017, he held various significant positions including Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Administrator of the China National Space Administration, and Director of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. He later served as the Governor of Guangdong Province and became the Secretary of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region’s Party Committee in December 2021 until his departure in July 2025. His investigation began in April of this year.
According to an official report on November 5, the corruption charges against Ma Xingshui trace back to his time as Deputy General Manager at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, indicating that his corrupt activities started during that tenure and continued for over two decades.
Within the core military-industrial enterprises of the Chinese Communist Party, there are currently ten key companies operating in various critical sectors, including nuclear, aerospace, aviation, shipbuilding, weapons, and electronics. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has emerged as a particularly vulnerable area for corruption, as it has seen multiple officials implicated in scandals, many of whom previously worked alongside Ma Xingshui.
According to incomplete statistics compiled by sources, several high-ranking officials who have been removed from their positions were former colleagues of Ma at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. These include the former Secretary of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee, Xu Dazhe, former Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Jin Zhuanglong, and former Executive Deputy Director of the Central Military-Civil Fusion Office, Lei Fanpei, among others.
Senior military analyst Mark commented that the Ma Xingshui case is highly correlated with the series of high-profile falls from grace among military-industrial officials. He speculated that during investigations, officials may implicate one another, leading to Ma’s exposure.
Su Ziyun, Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies at the National Defense and Security Research Institute in Taiwan, echoed this sentiment, asserting that the corruption allegations against Ma, originating from his role in the aerospace technology sector, reflect a broader pattern of elite military officials facing severe repercussions for corrupt practices.
He stated that Ma Xingshui was initially backed by President Xi Jinping, which implies that his case represents a striking example of the phenomenon of “promotion despite being tainted by corruption.” Su noted that this situation is a significant concern for Xi Jinping, indicating an ongoing power struggle within the Party.
Su Ziyun further observed that the recent crackdown on previously prominent factions within the Party, such as the Fujian clique and the Zhejiang New Army, as well as investigations into other high-profile leaders such as former Foreign Minister Qin Gang and former Defense Minister Li Shangfu, may also be part of a broader anti-corruption campaign with political motivations behind it. He suggested this could be aimed at undermining Xi Jinping’s rivals under the guise of anti-corruption efforts.
Since 2023, there has been a disturbing trend of high-ranking officials in the military-industrial sector disappearing from public view; most have not been formally announced as under investigation. Following the conclusion of the Communist Party’s Fifth Plenary Session in late October, public statements revealed that among the 33 expelled members of the Central Committee, several military-industrial figures had been missing for an extended period.
Among those, former Chairman of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Yuan Jie, and former Chairman of China Shipbuilding Group, Wen Gang, were dismissed in 2023 and 2024, respectively, yet their fates remained unclear until recently. Former Chairman of China National Nuclear Corporation, Yu Jianfeng, went missing in 2025, while Lei Fanpei has been absent from important meetings since October 2024.
Jin Zhuanglong, who was removed from his position as Minister of Industry and Information Technology in 2025, previously held significant roles including Director of Shanghai Aerospace Bureau and Deputy General Manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. His last public appearance was at a meeting in December last year. Zhang Zhongyang, a former General Manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, also went missing in April 2025 after serving as the Director of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.
Additionally, Jin Donghan, former Chief Engineer and Director of the 711 Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, was also expelled. His previous roles included being the President of Shanghai University and Tianjin University, and he had already been removed from the list of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
Concerning why figures like Yuan Jie and Wen Gang were subjected to public handling years after their disappearance, Su Ziyun pointed to the opaque nature of the Communist Party’s inner workings, suggesting that authorities might have initially frozen these individuals while gathering evidence against them. Mark emphasized that investigation processes can take time, and once assessments are concluded, those implicated would be dealt with accordingly.
Mark pointed out that the systemic corruption witnessed within the Communist Party is deeply entrenched. He explained that at senior levels, greed seems virtually inescapable, and individuals often find themselves entangled in corrupt practices—merely varying in scale. While the official details of corruption involving these officials have not been disclosed, Mark believes the depth of the scandals to be shocking.
Furthermore, the former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia, who held the position of Director of the Equipment Development Department, was also implicated. Mark remarked that internal strife may have led them to expose each other, but the primary allegations against Zhang appear to involve political loyalty issues rather than just financial misconduct.
As per a September report from official sources, both Zhang Youxia and Military Commission member Liu Zhenli were expelled from the Party and military, with accusations covering both political and economic misconduct. Their actions included failing to remain loyal to the Party and engaging in corrupt practices leading to significant financial gains.
Mark also believes that Zhang Youxia’s downfall should primarily revolve around political allegiance to Xi Jinping, but the lack of transparency complicates understanding whether disloyalty or greed was the driving factor in his removal.
In recent years, at least ten academicians with military backgrounds have been dismissed, spanning various fields of advanced military technology, including high-power microwaves and missile guidance control. This raised concerns over systemic corruption that extends from high-ranking military officials to academic circles.
Mark critiqued the entire military-industrial system, suggesting it has become fundamentally rotten, explaining that funding has driven even academic circles to engage in corrupt practices. This trend includes university professors seeking funds through unethical means, which adversely influences the integrity of the research outputs within military technology.
He added that while these officials may have contributed to scientific advancements, the lack of modern military conflicts since the end of the Cold War has left the developed military equipment untested. The false reporting during military drills, revealing discrepancies between recorded usage and actual deployment, is another indicator of corruption permeating the system.
Mark believes that while the removal of these high-ranking officials may not critically damage the military-industrial sector, it does point to the fact that the positions are often filled by individuals who may not necessarily possess the skills essential for innovation or advancement. Instead, it might simply indicate a rotation of individuals with the same proclivity for corruption.
Su Ziyun cautioned against dismissing the Communist military capabilities too lightly, emphasizing that although apparent corruption exists, the underlying performance of these units could still be formidable. Performance metrics may be manipulated to show adequacy when they are lower than expected due to corner-cutting practices.
Su noted that Xi Jinping’s massive campaign against corruption may serve as a significant blow to the military-industrial sector. The repercussions of leadership changes could lead to a transitional period where technical expertise and capability might diminish, potentially impacting China’s military readiness.
Ultimately, Su Ziyun concluded that the decision to engage militarily with Taiwan will largely depend on Xi Jinping’s calculations regarding political loyalty and Taiwan’s defensive capabilities. If Taiwan enhances its defenses to the point of raising perceived risks for a Chinese invasion, it is plausible that such actions might be reconsidered.
Through this lens, the ongoing campaign against corruption appears to serve as a legitimacy tool for Xi Jinping’s regime. In the long run, the fallout could impact Xi himself due to the individuals being unearthed bearing his mark of approval, suggesting potential flaws in his judgment. In essence, the politically charged purges within the military-industrial sector signify persistent and foundational issues within the broader structure of the Communist Party and its governance.