Former Deputy Minister of the Chinese Communist Party’s Publicity Department, Zhang Jianchun, was indicted today (18th) for alleged corruption, accused of accepting bribes during his tenure at the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee. Zhang Jianchun was mainly promoted during the leadership of Zhao Leji and Chen Xi at the Organization Department, with Chen Xi even appointing Zhang as his deputy.
The Supreme People’s Procuratorate of the Chinese Communist Party stated on the 18th that Zhang Jianchun, in his positions as the Director, Deputy Director-General, Director-General, and Deputy Minister of the Organization Department, as well as Deputy Minister of the Central Propaganda Department, took advantage of his position to seek benefits for others, illegally accepting a large amount of money, leading to charges of bribery being brought against him.
Zhang Jianchun was investigated in June last year during his tenure and was expelled from the party on December 10th of the same year, also revoking his status as a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the CPC.
Born in May 1965 in Yuncheng County, Shandong Province, Zhang Jianchun began working in 1984 and had a long career in the CPC Organization Department, serving in various positions throughout the years.
After the 18th National Congress of the CPC, under the leadership of Zhao Leji as the head of the Organization Department and Chen Xi as the Executive Deputy Minister of the Organization Department, Zhang Jianchun was appointed as the Deputy Minister of the Beijing Municipal Committee Organization Department in January 2014, later becoming the Executive Deputy Minister in 2015, and then promoted to Director of a bureau within the Organization Department’s Civil Servants Management Office in March 2016. A year later, he served as a member of the Organization Department and Director of another bureau within the Civil Servants Management Office.
Following the 19th National Congress of the CPC, during Chen Xi’s term as a member of the Political Bureau and Minister of the Organization Department, Zhang Jianchun was promoted to Deputy Minister of the Organization Department in November 2018, serving as Chen Xi’s deputy. He was later transferred to the position of Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department in October 2020 until his investigation in June 2024. Li Shulei currently serves as the Minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Publicity Department.
Chen Xi, of the same age as Xi Jinping, who is originally from Putian, Fujian Province, entered Tsinghua University in 1975 with the status of “student-soldier-worker” in the Chemistry Department. He and Xi Jinping became classmates and reportedly even shared bunk beds in their room. In 2007, after Xi Jinping ascended to the Politburo Standing Committee, he assisted Chen Xi in transitioning from the Secretary of the Tsinghua University Party Committee to Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education, later moving to Liaoning as Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee. In 2011, Chen Xi was transferred to the role of Secretary of the Party Committee of the China Association for Science and Technology and Vice Chairman in charge of routine work.
After Xi Jinping came to power in the 18th National Congress, he appointed Chen Xi as the Executive Deputy Minister of the Organization Department. At the 19th National Congress of the CPC, Chen Xi entered the Political Bureau, formally taking over the Organization Department, and also assuming the role of the Central Party School’s President, a position previously held concurrently by a Standing Committee member, Wang Huning. In early 2018, Xi Jinping integrated the National Academy of Governance under the Central Party School through Central Institutional Reform, entrusting Chen Xi with the training of party and government officials.
After the 20th National Congress, Chen Xi, who is no longer a member of the Political Bureau or the Central Committee, postponed his resignation as Minister of the Organization Department until April 2023 and continues to serve as the President of the CPC Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) in his capacity as an ordinary party member.
In the past two years, Chen Xi’s influence has gradually been cleansed. On September 28, 2024, Cao Xingxin, a member of the Party Group and Deputy General Manager of China Unicom Group, was investigated. Cao Xingxin had held key positions in the Organization Department during Chen Xi’s tenure, serving as the Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Dean (Director-General level) of the National Organization Cadre College.
On April 2nd this year, it was officially confirmed by the CCP that Shi Taifeng and Li Ganjie had swapped positions, with Shi Taifeng becoming Minister of the Organization Department and Li Ganjie taking on the role of Minister of the United Front Work Department, a position deemed to have little actual power. Li Ganjie is Xi Jinping’s close associate and the Tsinghua University alumni of the former Minister of the Organization Department, Chen Xi, who had strongly promoted him throughout his career.