The former head of the Inspection and Supervision Team of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the National Supervisory Commission at the Central Organization Department, Li Gang, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for involvement in corruption exceeding one hundred million yuan. Li Gang, as a deputy ministerial-level “mole” of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, was promoted by the current secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Li Xi, and had only been in office for nine months.
On December 3rd, the Wuhan Intermediate People’s Court in Hubei Province issued a verdict in the case of Li Gang’s bribery at the Inspection and Supervision Team of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC and the National Supervisory Commission at the Central Organization Department. Li Gang was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for bribery and fined six million yuan; the illicit gains and interest received from the bribery were confiscated and turned over to the state treasury.
The official accusation stated that from the first half of 1998 to June 2024, Li Gang took advantage of his positions as member of the standing committee and deputy county chief of Dayi County, Chengdu City, deputy secretary of the Dayi County Party Committee, deputy secretary and head of a county in Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Executive Deputy Director of Chengdu Haixia Science and Technology Industry Development Zone Management Committee, secretary of Wenjiang District Committee in Chengdu City, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau of Sichuan Province, Secretary of the Bazhong Municipal Party Committee in Sichuan Province, Secretary of the Zigong Municipal Party Committee in Sichuan Province, member of the Party Committee and Deputy Governor of Sichuan Province, as well as standing committee member and Minister of the Organization Department of Yunnan Province, to solicit and accept a total of more than 100 million yuan in bribes.
Public records show that Li Gang, born in July 1965, is from Dayi, Sichuan Province. He served in various positions in Sichuan for many years, eventually rising to the position of Deputy Governor of Sichuan Province. He became a standing committee member and Minister of the Organization Department of Yunnan Province in 2021. In September 2023, Li Gang was transferred to Beijing and appointed as the head of the Inspection and Supervision Team of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection at the Central Organization Department. Just nine months into his tenure, on September 30, 2024, Li Gang was officially announced to have fallen from grace. The official report stated that Li Gang engaged in speculation, associated with political swindlers, and engaged in extensive bribery for personal gain.
It is noteworthy that Li Gang was personally promoted by the current secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Li Xi. Some analysts believe that this not only highlights the pervasive corruption within the CPC but also reflects poorly on Li Xi’s judgement of character.
On November 28th, the Politburo of the CPC held meetings and a “collective study” session. Screenshots from CCTV showed that Li Xi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and Ma Xingrui, a Politburo member embroiled in negative rumors, were both absent. Furthermore, Li Xi has been out of the public eye since November 20th, sparking speculation.