On May 17th, former member of the Standing Committee of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Committee and Deputy Commander Jiao Xiaoping of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was on trial, accused of accepting bribes totaling over 67.43 million yuan. Jiao Xiaoping was previously accused of defying the orders of CCP leader Xi Jinping.
The CCP official media reported on the 17th that the trial of Jiao Xiaoping, former member of the Standing Committee of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Committee and Deputy Commander, on bribery charges had commenced. Jiao Xiaoping was charged with using his positions as deputy director-level secretary of the Office of the Ministry of Finance’s Budget Department, director-level cadre of the International Finance Department of the Ministry of Finance, deputy director, and director of the China Clean Development Mechanism Fund Management Center, director of the Ministry of Finance Government and Social Capital Cooperation Center, among others, from 2000 to 2022 to provide convenience for multiple units and individuals to obtain entrusted loans for clean development projects and to be selected for the PPP Expert Pool. He illegally accepted money and goods from others, totaling over 67.43 million yuan, of which over 54.91 million yuan was not actually received.
Public records show that Jiao Xiaoping had worked in various departments of the CCP Ministry of Finance, the National Control Social Group Purchasing Power Office, and the World Bank Sannoverse in since 1989. In June 2022, Jiao Xiaoping was transferred to the position of member of the Standing Committee of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Committee, Deputy Commander of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and Deputy General Manager of China New Construction Group Corporation. He was arrested just 8 months after taking office.
In February 2023, Jiao Xiaoping was reported to have been arrested, and in August he was detained.
Jiao Xiaoping faced several serious charges rarely seen before. The report of his arrest mentioned that he interfered with the implementation of the CCP’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality strategy, disregarded the important requirements of the Communist Party Central Committee for ecological and environmental protection in the Qinling Mountains, supported specific individuals in developing small hydropower projects in the Qinling Mountains, deviated from the central government’s decision-making arrangements, exacerbated hidden government debt risks, and created financial security risks. He illegally received equity, engaged in business activities, owned shares in unlisted companies, received compensation for part-time jobs, sought benefits for relatives and specific associates, and engaged in practices of exchanging power for money.
The CCP mouthpiece, People’s Daily, had previously stated that achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality was a “key strategic decision” made by the CCP Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core. Since May 2014, the CCP’s top leadership has ordered the rectification of illegally constructed villas in the Qinling Mountains, with Xi Jinping having issued “important instructions” on this matter six times.
The aforementioned report of his arrest indicated that Jiao Xiaoping had defied Xi’s instructions.