Recently, former Deputy General Manager of China Weapon Equipment Group Co., Ltd., Liu Weidong, has been officially arrested on suspicion of bribery.
According to the Supreme People’s Court of the Chinese Communist Party, the investigation into Liu Weidong’s bribery case has concluded and has been transferred to the prosecutors for examination and prosecution. The Henan Provincial People’s Procuratorate has made a decision to arrest Liu Weidong on charges of bribery. The Nanyang City People’s Procuratorate in Henan Province has filed a lawsuit against him.
The indictment alleges that Liu Weidong took advantage of his positions as General Manager of Xiangyang Dongfeng Automobile Electrical Co., Ltd., Director of Cooperation and Supporting Department of Dongfeng Motor Company Heavy Truck Company, Party Committee Member and General Manager of Shendong Automobile Co., Ltd., Standing Committee Member and Deputy General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd., General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. Passenger Car Company, Party Committee member and Deputy General Manager of China Weapon Equipment Group Co., Ltd., and Chairman of China Chang’an Automobile Group Co., Ltd., using his influence to obtain benefits for relevant units and individuals through the actions of other national staff in their official capacity, illegally accepting property from others, with an especially huge amount involved, thus holding him criminally responsible for the offense of bribery.
In February of this year, Liu Weidong was officially removed from his position.
Public records show that Liu Weidong was born in 1966 and is currently 59 years old. He ranked fourth in the management of China Weapon Equipment Group, after the Chairman, General Manager, and Deputy Secretary of the Party Group.
Liu Weidong held various positions in the Dongfeng group of companies, including Vice Plant Manager of Dongfeng Motor Company Steel Plate Spring Factory, Deputy General Manager of Suspension Spring Company, Director of Cooperation and Supporting Department of Heavy Truck Company, General Manager of Shendong Automobile Company, Deputy General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Company, and other roles. In 2018, at the age of 52, Liu Weidong was promoted to Deputy General Manager of China Weapon Equipment Group after serving for 7 years, but was investigated on the verge of retirement.
China Weapon Equipment Group is primarily involved in military equipment research, design, and manufacturing. Established on July 1, 1999, it is one of China’s top ten military industrial enterprises, classified as a super-large state-owned enterprise directly managed by the central government.
In late July of this year, Liu Weidong was expelled from the Party and removed from office over allegations of using public power for personal gain, involving corrupt practices and illicit financial gains.
In recent years, several senior officials in Chinese state-owned military industrial enterprises have faced issues. Liu Weidong’s superior, the Chairman of China Weapon Equipment Group, Xu Xianping, has recently disappeared mysteriously, sparking speculation about his involvement in misconduct.
Additionally, several other military industry giants such as Yu Jianfeng, Chairman of China Nuclear Industry Group, Zhou Xinmin, Chairman of China Aerospace Industry Group, and Liu Dashan, General Manager of China Ordnance Industry Corp., have also been “missing” since the beginning of this year.
The Chinese Communist Party has at least 12 state-owned military industrial enterprises, including: China Nuclear Industry Group, China Aerospace Science and Technology Group, China Aerospace Science and Industry Group, China Aviation Industry Group, China Shipbuilding Group, China Shipbuilding Industry Group, China Ordnance Industry Group, China Weapon Equipment Group, China Electronics Technology Group, China Aviation Engine Group, China Electronics Information Industry Group, and China Academy of Engineering Physics. From publicly available information, it appears that these companies have not been spared in the ongoing anti-corruption campaign.