On December 11, 2024, shocking news emerged regarding the alleged suicide of Yu Jianhua, the Director of the General Administration of Customs of the Communist Party of China, who had previously served as a special envoy for Xi Jinping. It was reported that on the night of December 10, Yu was found dead in his office, following an interrogation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection the day before. However, late on the 11th, the General Administration of Customs issued a statement announcing Yu’s sudden passing due to illness, creating speculation and raising numerous questions about the circumstances surrounding his death.
Analysis suggests that behind Yu Jianhua was the influence of Ding Xuexiang, a member of Xi’s inner circle, leading to suspicions and uncertainties regarding Yu’s demise.
Around 10 p.m. on December 11, the official website of the General Administration of Customs of the Communist Party of China posted a notice of Yu Jianhua’s funeral arrangements, stating that on December 10, the party secretary and director of the General Administration of Customs, Yu Jianhua, “passed away at the age of 63 due to a sudden illness that was incurable despite rescue efforts.” The notice still referred to Yu as a “comrade”.
State media such as Xinhua News Agency had previously reported an official meeting on December 10 in Beijing between Huang Qiang, the Party Secretary of Jilin Province, Hu Yuting, Deputy Party Secretary and Governor of the province, and Yu Jianhua. However, by December 11, this news had been removed from circulation.
Independent commentator Cai Shunkun revealed on December 11 that Yu Jianhua had allegedly committed suicide in his office on the 10th, following an interrogation by officials from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection a day before. There were also rumors circulating online that Yu had shot himself, with connections drawn to the case of Sun Yuning, the Deputy Director of the General Administration of Customs, who was removed from his position in September.
Public records show that Yu Jianhua, born in December 1961 in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, had a distinguished career as an international trade official, holding various positions in the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, and the Ministry of Commerce. In February 2018, Yu was appointed as the Party Secretary and Director of the General Administration of Customs.
Yu Jianhua became a member of the Central Committee at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2022. In July of the same year, he even attended the inauguration ceremony of the President of Panama as a special envoy for Xi Jinping.
Cai Shunkun remarked on December 12, 2024 that Yu Jianhua did not rise to prominence during the era of Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao; his true career advancement began only after Xi Jinping came to power. The central committee members were all recommended by Xi’s close allies, who then took turns vetting and confirming the candidates. Yu’s ascent to power was attributed to his connections with Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee who hails from Jiangsu Province. The projects overseen by the General Administration of Customs annually funnel significant profits to individuals associated with Ding.
Ding Xuexiang, the current member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Vice Premier, is from Nantong, Jiangsu Province. Commentator Du Zheng once analyzed that Ding’s rise in Shanghai, where his political allies are mainly located, led to him being labeled as the new “Shanghai Gang” within Xi’s inner circle. Despite being associated with the Shanghai Gang, Ding’s relationship with Xi is deemed less influential compared to the Fujian Gang and Zhejiang Gang. Currently, Xi’s inner circle is a system of checks and balances, where no one can become Xi’s confidant. Initially expected to lead party affairs within the 20th Central Committee, Xi appointed Ding to the position of Vice Premier, sandwiched between Li Qiang and He Lifeng in the State Council, making Ding’s status quite precarious.
Cai Shunkun further mentioned that the old Shanghai Gang has become obsolete, with new figures emerging and aligning themselves with Xi Jinping, showcasing their administrative capabilities to secure important positions. Having the support of both the Shanghai Gang and the Jiangsu Gang, Ding Xuexiang has caused apprehension among the Zhejiang Gang and Fujian Gang, thus making him a target of criticism.
Several foreign media outlets reported on the death of Yu Jianhua, linking it to a series of abnormal events within the Communist Party’s political arena. Instances such as the alleged abnormal death of Tianjin Mayor Liao Guoxun in April 2020, the fatal fall of Ren Xuefeng, Deputy Party Secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee, in October 2019, and the alleged suicide of Zheng Xiaosong, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Macau, in October 2018, all bear similarities in the official statements released, citing sudden illnesses as the cause of death.
Independent commentator Xiangyang, on December 12, mocked the officials of the Communist Party, saying that “suicide is much happier than being subjected to the `shuanggui`.” He explained that “shuanggui” is an internal disciplinary practice of the Communist Party, not subject to legal constraints, lacking transparency, and inflicting both mental and physical torment akin to the treatment of dissidents. Suicide becomes an exchange condition where investigations cease immediately, shielding colleagues and safeguarding the vested interests of their families.
Xiangyang remarked that the Communist Party lacks an exit mechanism, in contrast to democratic politics where a defeated party can be voted out of office, enabling them to continue a normal life after losing political power. Once a Communist Party member fails, their choices are limited to death, imprisonment, house arrest, or fleeing, with no honorable path forward. Hence, every political struggle within the party is accompanied by purges and crackdowns, perpetuating a system where those involved are trapped in an inescapable arena of ruthless competition until death. By observing the density of deaths, one can gauge the intensity of current political struggles in China.