On May 16, 2025, news emerged that Lan Tianli, the Chairman of the Guangxi Autonomous Region Government of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was under investigation, a few days after the initial reports surfaced. It has been confirmed today (16th) that his wife has also been detained.
According to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CCP and the National Supervisory Commission, on the 16th, Lan Tianli, Vice Secretary of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Autonomous Region and Chairman of the Government, is suspected of “serious violations of discipline and law” and is currently under investigation.
Public information reveals that Lan Tianli, born in October 1962 in Yizhou, Guangxi, is of Zhuang ethnicity and has held various positions in Guangxi, including Deputy Director and Director of the Department of Science and Technology of the Autonomous Region, Mayor of Hechi City, and Secretary of Hechi City Committee. In 2011, Lan Tianli was appointed Vice Chairman of the Autonomous Region Government and concurrently held positions such as Director of the Office of the Beibu Gulf (Guangxi) Economic Zone Planning and Construction Management Committee, Secretary of the Party Working Committee, Director of the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park Management Committee, and Secretary of the Party Working Committee, among others.
In 2015, Lan Tianli became a member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Autonomous Region and Vice Chairman of the Autonomous Region Government, and the following year was appointed Executive Vice Chairman of the Autonomous Region Government. In 2018, Lan Tianli was appointed Chairman of the Guangxi Autonomous Region Political Consultative Conference. In October 2020, Lan Tianli became Vice Secretary of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Acting Chairman of the Autonomous Region Government, later officially assuming the role of Chairman.
Lan Tianli is a member of the 18th and 19th Central Alternate Committee and the 20th Central Committee of the CCP.
According to a report by Caixin on May 16, the news of Lan Tianli’s investigation had already surfaced on the 12th, with reports suggesting that his wife has also been detained.
As reported by the “Guangxi Daily,” Lan Tianli conducted research and inspections on ecological environmental protection work in Hechi, Baise, and Chongzuo from May 10 to 11.
Prior to this, on May 13, Hong Kong media “Sing Tao Daily” cited sources claiming that Lan Tianli was absent from two important events on May 12, including the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Autonomous Region Party Committee, leading to rumors of his removal spreading locally.
On May 14, the same media reported that Lan Tianli was taken away in Nanning on the 12th, and that his brother and other relatives were also under investigation.
On the late night of May 12, Yinko, a prominent anti-Communist internet celebrity in Australia, revealed in his self-media program that Lan Tianli was under investigation in connection with the Jin Xiangjun case.
Jin Xiangjun, former Governor of Shanxi Province, served in the Guangxi Autonomous Region from 1998 to 2018. He was previously Secretary of the Yulin Municipal Committee and the Fangchenggang Municipal Committee. He was officially ousted from his position on April 12 this year. It is reported that one of the reasons for Jin Xiangjun’s downfall may be due to committing a “major political taboo.”