On September 20, the official website of the CCP Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced that Zhang Quan, the former deputy secretary of the Party Committee of China Railway Signal & Communication Corporation Limited (China Railway Signal), has been placed under investigation. Just a day after Zhang Quan’s downfall, Tong Jilu, the former chairman of China Tower Corporation Limited, is also being investigated.
Zhang Quan, born in 1970, holds a Master’s degree in Electronic and Information Engineering from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications and is a senior engineer.
From January 2001 to October 2002, he served as the Vice General Manager, Party Committee Member, and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of Weihai Branch of Shandong Provincial Telecommunications Company. From October 2002 to June 2006, he held various positions in the Planning and Construction Department and Wireless Communication Department of Shandong Provincial Communications Company. From June 2006 to November 2008, Zhang Quan successively served as the Director of Network Operations Department of Shandong Branch of China Network Communications Group Company, General Manager, and Party Secretary of Linyi Branch.
In November 2008, Zhang Quan joined China United Network Communications Limited and held positions such as General Manager and Party Secretary of Linyi Branch (after the merger of China Unicom and China Network), Deputy General Manager, and Party Committee Member of Yunnan Branch.
In August 2014, he became the General Manager, Party Secretary, and Chairman of Shandong Branch of China Tower Company, and in January 2020, he was transferred to the position of Deputy General Manager of China Tower Corporation Limited. From July 2022 to June 2025, he undertook the role of Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of China Railway Signal & Communication Corporation Limited.
According to the announcement by China Railway Signal on June 30, the Board of Directors of China Railway Signal posted a notice regarding the departure of a director. The announcement revealed that Zhang Quan left his position on June 27 due to “personal reasons.” His name has also been removed from the company’s official website under the “Group Leadership” section.
On the day following Zhang Quan’s downfall, September 21, Tong Jilu, the former chairman of China Tower Corporation Limited, came under investigation. Prior to this, Tong Jilu was reportedly missing for several months.
Furthermore, during Tong Jilu’s absence, both his wife and son were reported missing around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival this year. Tong Jilu’s wife previously worked at Beijing Unicom, while his son was employed at a top brokerage firm, Zhongjin Company, overseeing a specific project. Tong Jilu held key positions at China Unicom for many years.
The Shanghai United Investment Company founded by Jiang Zemin’s eldest son, Jiang Mianheng, had invested in the establishment of China Network Communications. Therefore, many Chinese analysts believe that Jiang Mianheng is the actual controller behind Unicom, and China Unicom is considered one of the “money bags” for the Jiang family.
China Railway Signal & Communication Corporation Limited is a large central state-owned enterprise directly supervised by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council of the CCP. It is a high-tech industrial group specializing in railway traffic control technology. The company was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2015 and was among the first central enterprises as well as the first A+H share company to debut on the STAR Market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2019.