Inner Mongolia official Wei Shuanshi has been expelled from the Communist Party and dismissed from public office and has been referred to the judiciary. Six months ago, Wei Shuanshi was reported for leading an unauthorized dinner where alcohol was consumed, resulting in the death of one person.
On December 5th, the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervisory Commission announced that Wei Shuanshi, a former member of the financial and economic committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People’s Congress, a member of the party committee, and a deputy director, as well as a senior official of the autonomous region State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, has been expelled from the party and public office. He is also under investigation and prosecution for suspected criminal offenses, and his assets have been seized.
According to the announcement, during the period of disciplinary education, Wei Shuanshi organized and provided banquets that could affect the fair execution of official duties, resulting in serious consequences. He accepted travel arrangements that could affect the fair execution of official duties, sought benefits and accepted gifts from others in the recruitment of staff, borrowed private vehicles from private business owners for a long time, received gifts, bribes, and consumption cards, used his position to benefit others in project contracting and engineering payment, and illegally accepted large sums of money.
Public records show that Wei Shuanshi was born in February 1964 and had worked for the Baogang Group for many years, serving as Chairman of Baotou Iron and Steel (Group) Co., Ltd. and Secretary of the Party Committee. In addition, Wei Shuanshi had also served as chairman of listed companies such as Baotou Iron and Steel Corporation and Northern Rare Earth under the Baogang Group.
In 2023, Wei Shuanshi held the position of senior official of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission and later became a member of the financial and economic committee of the People’s Congress of the autonomous region, until he was reported in June this year.
The report stated that on May 6th, Wei Shuanshi accompanied his relatives to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College at Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, where he met with Wang Qiufeng, former Secretary of the Party Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Guo Jun, head of the Interventional Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, and He Yuxi, former director of the Radiology Department of the Fourth Hospital of Baotou City, for a gathering. He Yuxi suggested dining together the next day, and Wei Shuanshi was responsible for preparing drinks and paying for the meal.
On the evening of May 7th, Wei Shuanshi, He Yuxi, Guo Jun, and others gathered for a meal at a hotel in Baotou. After the meal, Wang Qiufeng organized Guo Jun and Jiang Zhenyu to continue eating and drinking at a barbecue restaurant near his home. Around 6 a.m. on May 8th, Guo Jun was found dead at his home.
After the incident, Wei Shuanshi and others discussed jointly paying off Guo Jun’s family privately. However, as they could not agree on the amount, the family threatened to report them. On May 15th, Wei Shuanshi voluntarily reported the situation to the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision.
Reports indicate that since April of this year, there have been three incidents of public officials dying due to excessive drinking at banquets. In provinces such as Hunan, Anhui, and Henan, dozens of officials involved have faced penalties.