Retired journalist Gu Wanming, who had worked at the Chinese Communist Party’s Xinhua News Agency for nearly 30 years, was sentenced to one year in prison by a Shanghai court at the end of 2024 for inciting trouble due to his demand for an investigation into the cause of death of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. It was recently reported that Gu Wanming has also been deprived of his retirement benefits by Xinhua News Agency, preventing him from collecting his pension. Analysts have pointed out that this move by the CCP is a warning to internal individuals not to criticize the top leadership.
In recent days, there has been an online circulation of a notice from Xinhua News Agency regarding the cancellation of Gu Wanming’s retirement benefits. The notice stated that Gu Wanming was born in 1951 in Shanghai, went to Heilongjiang Production and Construction Corps in June 1969, entered Fudan University’s Journalism Department in 1978, graduated in 1982 and joined Xinhua News Agency’s Heilongjiang branch. He became a party member in October 1986, was transferred to be the chief of Xinhua News Agency’s Guangdong branch in 1989, and retired in June 2011. He was sentenced to one year in prison for inciting trouble by the Minhang District Court of Shanghai. The notice mentioned that on December 10, 2024, Gu Wanming’s retirement benefits were revoked, and he was no longer considered a retired employee of Xinhua News Agency.
On October 26, 2023, former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang died suddenly. The official explanation from the CCP was that he experienced a sudden heart attack during his rest in Shanghai, and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. However, due to Li Keqiang’s conflicting relationship with Xi Jinping, it is widely believed by the public that the cause of Li’s death is suspicious.
Just three days after the authorities announced Li Keqiang’s death, on October 30, Gu Wanming, who was the former chief of Xinhua News Agency’s Guangdong branch, published an open letter as a member of the CCP, demanding an investigation into the cause of Li Keqiang’s death. He outlined five requests, including halting the cremation of the body for investigation purposes, setting up a joint investigation team to uncover the truth of Li Keqiang’s death, investigating all relevant individuals and holding them accountable, conducting an autopsy on the body to determine the cause of death, and establishing a funeral committee to organize a proper funeral for Li Keqiang.
In the open letter, he wrote, “After Li Keqiang’s sudden death, relevant parties did not explain the cause of his death and the rescue process to the public, only mentioning ‘due to a heart attack’. There are many inexplicable points and a lot of opinions that cannot be understood, causing significant and widespread discussions in society, which has had a great impact on public opinion.”
Shortly after the open letter was published, Gu Wanming was criminally detained. In November 2024, the Minhang District Court of Shanghai sentenced Gu Wanming to one year in prison for inciting trouble. Recently, it was reported online that Xinhua News Agency had canceled Gu Wanming’s retirement benefits on December 10 of the previous year.
The sudden death of Li Keqiang still raises many questions. Senior media figure Guo Jun stated on the “Elite Forum” program that the CCP’s secretive system does not allow for transparency and operates behind closed doors, making it unlikely to follow Gu Wanming’s proposed investigation to provide an explanation. Xi Jinping has constantly sought to centralize power and eliminate obstacles, with Li Keqiang becoming one such obstacle.
“Following Li Keqiang’s death, Xi Jinping has essentially completed his personal dictatorship. Although he holds great power, he also faces great responsibilities and risks. The greater the risk, the more fearful those in power become. Especially when the political and economic situation is unfavorable, power struggles can become extremely fierce. Gu Wanming’s case serves as a reminder that this era of brutal power struggles has returned,” stated Guo Jun.
Guo Jun further expressed that the CCP likely aims to use Gu Wanming’s case as a warning to internal individuals, advising them against criticizing the top leadership. However, the political situation within the CCP is highly unstable, and Xi Jinping is likely aware of this, leading to heightened tension in Beijing. The more anxious Xi Jinping becomes, the more precarious his position is, potentially resulting in intensified internal power struggles. Such a system, when faced with sudden issues, often proves to be fatal.
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun, in an interview with Voice of America, mentioned his acquaintance with Gu Wanming. He stated that he was aware of Gu’s open letter, which complies with the rules of the CCP and does not cross any boundaries. However, it had offended the CCP’s propaganda department, and the judicial department was infuriated because the public is not allowed to question or criticize anything related to Li Keqiang’s death.