Recently, impostor Ruan Shaoping, claiming to be a “Chinese Academy of Sciences academician,” had his fake identity exposed, followed by the unmasking of the mask worn by the Chinese Communist Party’s “State Council Counselor Yu Pengxiang.” This event has sparked public concern over the proliferation of false identities.
Yu Pengxiang was active in events such as the Shenzhen Supply Chain Summit and the Guangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Conference, boasting titles like “Senior-level Counselor at the Ministry” and “Honorary Chairman of the China Quality Education Association” in the political and business circles.
According to a report by the CCP’s The Paper on August 7th, suspicions were raised concerning the identity of the CCP’s “State Council Counselor Yu Pengxiang.” After verification by authoritative departments, it was confirmed that Yu Pengxiang’s identity as a “State Council Counselor” was indeed forged. No information about Yu Pengxiang can be found on the State Council Counselor’s official website.
In March of this year, there were reports by self-media claiming activities by “State Council Counselor Yu Pengxiang, Honorary Chairman of the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association.”
In December 2024, at a Supply Chain Ecological Summit held in Baoan, Shenzhen, there was a so-called “State Council Counselor Yu Pengxiang delivering a speech.”
In July 2024, at the “Digital Intelligence Traditional Chinese Medicine Development Conference” in Guangzhou, Yu Pengxiang appeared publicly with identities including “former Cultural Inspector of the State Council, Senior-level Counselor at the State Council Counselor’s Office, Honorary Chairman of the China Quality Education Association.”
Previously, CCP official media reported that “Ruan Shaoping,” claiming false identities such as “Chinese Academy of Sciences academician,” “former Executive Vice President of the First Military Medical University,” and “Political Commissioner of Huoshenshan Hospital,” had long mingled in schools, enterprises, and public occasions, often making high-profile appearances, including speeches, and attending various business forums nationwide, with some activities as recent as July this year.
Lu Ping, a current affairs observer from Hunan (alias), stated, “From Ruan Shaoping to Yu Pengxiang, these fraudsters can attend various high-profile events, traverse between educational forums and industry summits for an extended period, and move freely. Is there a problem with the CCP’s regulatory system? Why are ordinary people’s casual phone chats being monitored, petitioners intercepted on their way to Beijing, every move of grassroots citizens scrutinized under surveillance, while these high-level fraudsters can flaunt themselves in the intersections of politics and business? This is caused by the CCP system: tolerant and lenient at the top, rough and cruel at the bottom.”
Whether it’s the fake academician Ruan Shaoping or the fake State Council Counselor Yu Pengxiang, some of their activity traces are related to the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association, becoming one of the primary publicity platforms for their participation in events.
Information released by the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association shows that Li Jianhui is the “Permanent Honorary Chairman” of the association. Both Li Jianhui and Yu Pengxiang, Ruan Shaoping have participated in events together on the same stage.
Yu Pengxiang and Li Jianhui have participated in events together. According to the WeChat public account of the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association, on July 25, 2024, the Preparatory Meeting of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Committee of the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association was held at Qingyuan Guangdong Shangyi Health Technology Co., Ltd. Attendees included Permanent Honorary Chairman Yu Pengxiang, Permanent Honorary Chairman Li Jianhui, and Chairman Li Shiyu.
Ruan Shaoping and Li Jianhui also appeared together multiple times. The “Lingnan Net” reported in November 2023 that Academician Ruan Shaoping of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, accompanied by Dr. Li Jianhui, a prominent alumnus of Hushan Middle School, and the school leaders, visited Hushan Middle School for exchanges. The article stated that Ruan Shaoping personally directed the construction of Huoshenshan Hospital and chaired the hospital. “Lingnan Net” is also one of the main media outlets under the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association.
In April 2024, the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association announced that on April 1, they launched the “Cultural and Tourism China, Core Socialist Values” model activity, initiated at the Southern Liang Revolution Memorial Hall in Gansu and Lenin School. Both Ruan Shaoping and Li Jianhui participated, with Ruan Shaoping in the capacity of a so-called Chinese Academy of Sciences academician and Li Jianhui as a national public welfare star, a representative of the 63rd and 67th sessions of the UN Women’s Conference, a Good Samaritan in Guangdong, and the Permanent Honorary Chairman of the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association.
The social organization of the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association has repeatedly endorsed the fake academician Ruan Shaoping and fake State Council Counselor Yu Pengxiang. Currently, the Guangdong Provincial Administration of Social Organizations will investigate the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association.
According to information publicly available on the China Social Organization Governance Service Platform, the Guangdong Traditional Culture Promotion Association was established on October 30, 2013, and is a directly registered social organization under the Guangdong Provincial Civil Affairs Department, with Li Shiyu as the legal representative and a registered capital of 30,000 yuan. The certificate is valid from November 23, 2022, to November 22, 2026, with business scopes including research, exchange, and promotion of traditional culture, publication editing, exhibitions, talent training, consulting services, participation in public welfare activities, and undertaking other tasks commissioned by government departments.
Some netizens expressed, “First, there was the fake academician Ruan Shaoping, then the fake State Council Counselor Yu Pengxiang. How could they deceive for so many years without being exposed? It’s not that the fraudsters are too clever, but that society is too easily duped by titles!”
Some netizens revealed, “These are not ordinary fraudsters; they have real backgrounds, one was a former leader’s bodyguard, later served in the Second Artillery Corps, and even as a political commissar of a certain unit. Perhaps that’s why they haven’t been caught.”
Another netizen believed, “This is the information age; officials of such high ranks are easy to verify for authenticity. How can they deceive people for so long, has the facial recognition system hanging everywhere suddenly stopped working?”