According to reports, Zhu Hengpeng, the deputy director of the Economic Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was detained and dismissed this spring for criticizing Xi Jinping’s management of the domestic economy in a WeChat group.
Sources revealed to The Wall Street Journal on September 24 that Zhu Hengpeng, who will turn 55 this month, was detained this spring for allegedly making some “inappropriate” comments in a private WeChat chat group.
One source mentioned that Zhu Hengpeng’s remarks included criticisms of China’s economic downturn and subtle critiques regarding Xi Jinping’s personal life and decisions.
Furthermore, Zhu Hengpeng was scheduled to speak at a conference organized by the Research Center for Industrial Development and Environmental Governance at Tsinghua University on May 25. He was a member of the academic committee of the center, but his name was not mentioned in the post-conference report, and another scholar took over his speaking slot.
The leadership introduction page on the official website of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences no longer includes Zhu Hengpeng’s name. Similarly, his name was removed from the member list webpage of the Academic Committee of the Research Center for Industrial Development and Environmental Governance at Tsinghua University.
It is currently uncertain which specific charges are the focus of the investigation. Zhu Hengpeng has been relieved of his duties at the Economic Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, where he also served as the deputy secretary of the party committee.
The progress of the investigation into Zhu Hengpeng remains unclear, and it is unknown whether he has legal representation. He did not respond to requests for comment sent via email. When reporters visited the address listed as Zhu Hengpeng’s residence in a Beijing apartment, which was mentioned in a company document in Hong Kong, no one answered the door.
Both the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Research Center for Industrial Development and Environmental Governance at Tsinghua University did not respond to requests for comments.
The State Council Information Office of the Chinese Communist Party did not reply to The Wall Street Journal’s inquiries about transferring the questions to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party.
Zhu Hengpeng, who has worked at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences for more than twenty years, specialized in health economics and provided advice to the government on public hospital reforms and healthcare policies. His opinions on these issues carried significant influence. In 2014, he was appointed as the deputy director of the Economic Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is a key player in the Communist Party’s think tank and ideological sphere. Last month, the Economic Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences underwent a major shake-up, with changes in the director, secretary, and deputy director positions.
On August 22, the party group of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences announced the appointment of Gong Yun, the former party secretary and deputy director of the Institute of Finance, as the party secretary of the Economic Research Institute; Li Xuesong, the former director of the Institute of Quantity Economics and Technical Economics, as the new director and deputy party secretary of the Economic Research Institute; and Song Hong, former deputy director of the Research Bureau, as the deputy director of the Economic Research Institute.
The official website indicated the dismissal of Wang Limin from the positions of party secretary and deputy director of the Economic Research Institute; and the removal of Huang Qunhui as director and deputy party secretary of the Economic Research Institute. Wang Limin and Gong Yun swapped roles, with Wang becoming the party secretary of the Institute of Finance. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has not issued any notice regarding Zhu Hengpeng’s job changes.
An article in the Hong Kong Economic Daily on September 16 revealed that there was a “political earthquake” at the Economic Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, triggered by the alleged inappropriate remarks made by the deputy director Zhu Hengpeng.
Commentator Li Linyi once told The Wall Street Journal that the extensive crackdown by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences following the comments of a lower-ranking official from the Economic Research Institute shows the organization serves only for the benefit of Xi Jinping. However, this also indicates that the information received by Xi Jinping portrays a rosy picture, lacking critical evaluations, which poses a significant risk to his governance.