China Unicom’s Deputy General Manager Cao Xingxin is under investigation for alleged serious violations of discipline and law, according to a report from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China on September 28.
It was reported that Cao Xingxin had been transferred from the Central Organization Department of the Communist Party of China to China Unicom in early 2023. China Unicom has been referred to as a territory of interest for Jiang Zemin’s eldest son, Jiang Mianheng.
With Cao Xingxin’s investigation, the number of central management cadres publicly reported to be investigated this year has reached 43, nearing the total for the entire year of 2023, which was 45 according to the official reports.
Public records show that Cao Xingxin, 58 years old, had long been working in the Central Organization Department of the Communist Party of China, holding various positions such as Deputy Director of the Fourth Bureau, Inspector and Deputy Director of the Office of Civil Servant Management, Deputy Director of the Third Bureau, and Senior Vice President of the National Organization Cadre Institute.
In January 2023, Cao Xingxin became the Deputy General Manager and Party Member of China Unicom Group, and in March of the same year, he was appointed as the Senior Vice President of China United Network Communications Corporation. In July, he also took on the role of Chief Legal Advisor of China Unicom. China Unicom’s 2023 annual report indicated that Cao Xingxin’s pre-tax compensation was 450,300 yuan (since March 2023).
The specifics of Cao Xingxin’s case are currently unknown, as well as whether the problems arose during his time at China Unicom or in his previous positions within the Central Organization Department.
China Unicom was formed through the merger of China Netcom and China Unicom on January 6, 2009, and is now one of the major telecommunications groups in China.
Analysts believe that China Unicom has a close relationship with Jiang Mianheng, as his company, Shanghai Alliance Investment, had invested in China Netcom during its establishment. Furthermore, the relationship between China Unicom and the Jiang family is seen as a significant one due to the involvement of Jiang Zemin, the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party.
In recent years, China Unicom has been a hotspot for corruption crackdown by the authorities. Several high-ranking officials under China Unicom have been investigated this year alone, including Wang Yingpei, former General Manager of the Value-Added Services Department, Meng Xiangsen, Party Committee Member and Deputy General Manager of Hainan Branch, and Huo Haifeng, former Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of the Beijing Branch.
In July this year, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CCP disclosed information on the progress of the Central Inspection and Reform within the China Unicom Party Committee, emphasizing the need to prevent “eating up enterprises” through improper means.
It is worth noting that Cao Xingxin was transferred from the National Organization Cadre Institute to China Unicom in early 2023. The National Organization Cadre Institute is directly under the Central Organization Department and is responsible for the training of officials in the organizational personnel system.
Since Xi Jinping came into power, the Central Organization Department’s substantial power has been held by Chen Xi, a colleague of Xi Jinping, who has cultivated a significant number of his own personnel.
Chen Xi served as the Vice Minister in charge of the executive work of the Central Organization Department from 2013 to 2017. From 2017 to 2018, he was a member of the Central Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Secretariat, Minister of the Central Organization Department, and President of the Central Party School. On October 23, 2022, the 69-year-old Chen Xi stepped down from his positions in the Central Political Bureau and the Central Secretariat after the 20th Central Committee Meeting, but did not relinquish his role as Minister of the Central Organization Department until April 2023. Currently, he serves as the President of the Central Party School (National Academy of Administration).