Maotai liquor, not only the largest state-owned enterprise in Guizhou, but also the symbol of China’s “national liquor”. From the central government to local levels, Maotai liquor has almost become a must-have at banquets, for gift-giving, relationship-building, and business negotiations. However, behind this fragrant Maotai liquor lies a chain of corruption that has led to the downfall of high-ranking officials.
From 2019 to 2025, in just six years, three successive chairmen of the Maotai Group were removed from their positions.
What exactly happened? How did Maotai liquor turn into a “Maotai curse”? Let’s delve into this story today.
First, let’s talk about Yuan Renguo, a legendary figure who worked at the Maotai Group for 43 years. Starting as a brewery worker, he gradually rose to the top position as the chairman of the listed company in Guizhou Maotai, serving for 18 years, followed by 8 years as the head of the Maotai Group, enjoying great prestige and success.
However, in May 2019, the situation suddenly changed, and Yuan Renguo was abruptly dismissed from his position. Subsequently, the disciplinary commission of Guizhou Province placed him under “isolated investigation”. The investigation uncovered shocking revelations — he had been involved in bribery for a span of 24 years. From 1994 to 2018, Yuan Renguo used his official position to turn Maotai liquor into his own business, greasing the wheels for others in matters such as Maotai distribution rights and supply, accumulating bribes amounting to a staggering 1.129 billion yuan.
Furthermore, during the search at his home, it took over a day for more than 40 investigators to inventory the loot which included gold products, watches, jewelry, calligraphy, a total of 1,588 items, rare items like ivory, currencies in RMB, USD, GBP, the figures were too numerous to count. An agent even went as far as giving him a custom-made golden tripod weighing five kilograms just to please him.
Additionally, Yuan Renguo’s wife and children profited 230 million yuan through illegal operations involving Maotai liquor.
In September 2021, the Intermediate People’s Court of Guiyang sentenced Yuan Renguo to life imprisonment and fined him 170 million yuan, confiscating all his personal assets. Two years later, in September 2023, at the age of 66, Yuan Renguo passed away in prison due to illness, taking his “Maotai dream” with him, leaving the world forever.
With Yuan Renguo’s downfall, the saga of corruption at Maotai is far from over!
Prior to his ousting, three senior executives of the Maotai Group had already “fallen” ahead of him. They were: General Manager Qiao Hong, Deputy General Manager Fang Guoxing, Deputy General Manager Tan Dinghua. Qiao Hong was arrested in 2007, sentenced to death with a reprieve for embezzlement and having unexplained enormous wealth; Fang Guoxing was arrested in 2014 for bribery of over ten million and received a sentence of 10 and a half years; Tan Dinghua was arrested in 2016 for accepting over 34.6 million yuan in bribes and a 200-gram gold bar, although his exact prison term was not disclosed, it is estimated to be over 10 years.
These three warnings should have rung loud and clear, but Yuan Renguo paid no heed! He used Maotai liquor to exchange for official positions, money, and companionship, with his senior executives following suit.
After Yuan Renguo’s downfall, a new wave of “falling horses” swept through the Maotai Group! Deputy General Manager Gao Shouhong was sentenced to 10 years; General Manager Liu Zili, 11 and a half years; General Manager of the Sales Company Ma Yupeng, 13 and a half years; Health Wine Company President Zhang Cheng, 13 years; Deputy General Manager Du Guangyi was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Each executive, seemingly “intoxicated” by Maotai liquor, fell one after another!
With Yuan Renguo gone, who will take over? In March 2020, Gao Weidong was “parachuted” from the Guizhou Provincial Department of Transportation to the Maotai Group, where he assumed the roles of Party Secretary and Chairman.
At a time when Maotai was embroiled in an anti-corruption storm, Gao Weidong took office with firm vows to eradicate the “poison” left by Yuan Renguo. He even initiated a large discussion titled “Finding Problems, Finding Measures, Finding Targets,” setting a goal of 100% rectification within three months. He claimed to want to “dig out roots, strengthen weaknesses, and plug loopholes,” creating a political ecology of “fragrant wine, clean wind, and harmonious people.”
However, this anti-corruption drama took an unexpected turn. In May 2022, Gao Weidong, who had since been reassigned as the Director of the Guizhou Provincial Coalfield Geological Bureau, was placed under investigation.
Later, he admitted in a special documentary on anti-corruption that he suffered from “cartilage disease” and “wealth disease”. “Cartilage disease” referred to his propensity for taking money without limits. “Wealth disease” indicated his envy of the lifestyle of businessman bosses, feeling discontent with owning only two to three houses and desiring to live in villas and mansions!
He frequently played golf with businessmen, but never paid himself. He indulged in gambling, again without spending his own money. He even engaged in prostitution multiple times.
Upon hearing that the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission was investigating at the golf course he frequented, to prevent the exposure of his bribe-taking, he rehearsed and coached the bribing businessmen in simulating an interrogation scenario. He also had his family transfer the bribed fine wines, high-end clothing, watches, and handbags to the homes of relatives and friends.
Investigations revealed that within just a year and five months of leading Maotai, he had amassed bribes exceeding 110 million yuan.
In February 2024, Gao Weidong was sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery. From his appointment to downfall, it took only a little over two years. This cup of Maotai liquor truly is “intoxicating”!
With Gao Weidong’s collapse, the Maotai Group ushered in a new leader — the youngest chairman, Ding Xiongjun, a Ph.D. graduate, young, promising, with a rich resume, and most importantly, little connection to Maotai and the entire liquor industry, dubbed the “parachuted savior”!
He served in this position for less than three years when in April 2024, he was reassigned to the Secretary and Director of the Market Supervision Administration of Guizhou Province.
On January 2, 2025, the Guizhou Discipline Inspection Commission announced a significant investigation: Ding Xiongjun was suspected of serious violations of discipline and law and was placed under investigation.
At 49, the prime of his career, when he was transitioning away from the Maotai Group, promising political heights, Ding Xiongjun’s political life came to an abrupt halt, ending similar to his two predecessors.
Ding Xiongjun’s case is still under investigation, but considering the fates of the previous dozens of executives, his outcome is likely not to be much better.
Over five years, the third chairman of the Maotai Group has fallen! Why do the senior executives of the Maotai Group continue to fall into corruption, one after another? There are four reasons:
Firstly, the Maotai Group is closely tied to the Party.
The leadership in Maotai is directly appointed by the Guizhou Provincial Committee and Government, blurring the lines between Party and government, political and business entities. Maotai liquor is revered as the “national liquor,” with leaders at all levels, from the central government to local authorities, choosing Maotai as their favored indulgence. The first Premier of the Communist Party of China, Zhou Enlai, was fond of Maotai liquor; the current Communist Party of China leader, Xi Jinping, also holds a special affection for Maotai liquor. It is said that even when Xi Jinping hosted Kim Jong-un, they drank the 1.28 million yuan-priced “Moutai bottle soy sauce bottle.”
In 2009, the “Maotai Cultural Research Association” was founded at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, spearheaded by Li Botan, the son-in-law of the then member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, Jia Qinglin. Li Botan controlled the sales of a large quantity of Maotai liquor through Maotai Club, reaping substantial profits. He claimed to have locked in one-third of the annual production of 10-year Maotai liquor released by the Maotai Company.
Li Botan made a fortune off Maotai liquor! But has anyone investigated him? No!
With Maotai Group closely associated with the Party, where Party and government entities intertwine, not only at the central level but also at the provincial and corporate levels, everyone in power desires a share. The corruption within the Maotai Group remains unsolvable.
Secondly, collusion between politics and business.
Former Vice Governor of Guizhou, Wang Xiaoguang, earned millions solely from Maotai liquor. He profited through family-operated exclusive stores, resale of Maotai liquor, and directed those intending to give him gifts to purchase Maotai liquor at his stores at inflated prices, thereby pocketing the price differences.
He conspired with Yuan Renguo, aiding family members and relatives to secure franchise rights for four Maotai liquor exclusive stores, illicitly profiting over 40 million yuan in the process.
His house was discovered to have over 4,000 bottles of Maotai liquor during investigations, of which he personally poured down over 4,000 bottles! His wife lamented, “Can’t throw them away, can’t drink them all, can’t gift them, can’t pour them out!”
Thirdly, centralized authority.
The leadership of the Maotai Group tightly controlled personnel, finances, supplies, production, distribution, and sales. Yuan Renguo once stated, “I call the shots in my territory!” He collected fees from franchises, distributors, imposed fees on liquor sales, turning his office, home, even the parking lot, into his “marketplace”.
To assist in transferring his younger brother to work in the Drug Administration system, he even approved a Maotai liquor franchise store for the former Director of the Provincial Food and Drug Supervision Administration.
Lastly, the dual-price system.
Even today, Guizhou Maotai continues to adhere to a dual-track pricing and sales system dating back to the era of planned economics and scarcity economy. This has led to a market environment and atmosphere of “starvation marketing”, making it difficult for consumers to buy Maotai liquor at normal prices.
The ex-factory price of Maotai liquor is 969 yuan, the guided price is 1,499 yuan, but the market price often exceeds 2,000 yuan. The supply-demand imbalance has birthed “starvation marketing”, with distributors hoarding goods, scalpers inflating prices, and counterfeit products flooding the market! As long as this authoritarian economic system where the Party reigns supreme remains unchanged, the perpetuity of corruption at Maotai remains unsolvable.
Maotai liquor, with its fragrance wafting for thousands of miles, has also “intoxicated” a group of high officials. Power, money, desires — how truly “intoxicating” is this liquor?
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