Amidst the anti-corruption storm within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), over the past year, several senior leaders of state-owned military-industrial enterprises in China have either been investigated for corruption or have disappeared without a trace. Recently, the absence of top executives from several major state-owned military-industrial enterprises at important events has raised concerns.
Traditionally, major military-industrial leaders would make appearances at events to offer New Year’s greetings on the eve of the Chinese New Year. However, it was reported that Chairman Yu Jianfeng of China National Nuclear Corporation and Chairman Zhou Xinmin of Aviation Industry Corporation of China did not show up at relevant occasions, neither did Chairman Xu Xianping of China Ordnance Equipment Group and General Manager Liu Dashan of China Ordnance Industry Corporation.
Aviation Industry Corporation of China General Manager Hao Zhaoping and Deputy General Manager Yang Wei (the chief designer of the first invisible fighter aircraft Chengdu J-20 of the Chinese Communist Party) were dismissed earlier, and Chairman Zhou Xinmin has not been seen since January 18.
On January 22, the group held a Lunar New Year gathering for retired employees, but Chairman Zhou Xinmin was absent. Yu Jianfeng was also absent from the senior management meeting of China National Nuclear Corporation held on January 17.
Zhou Xinmin was formerly the General Manager of China Commercial Aircraft Corporation. His predecessor, the former Chairman of Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Tan Ruisong, has been officially announced to have fallen from power.
Chairman Yu Jianfeng of China National Nuclear Corporation was absent from the Lunar New Year greetings event.
So far, no official explanation has been provided for the absence of these senior officials.
It is noteworthy that in recent times, several senior leaders of military-industrial state-owned enterprises have faced similar circumstances.
The China Ordnance Industry Group (abbreviated as Ordnance Group) and China Ordnance Equipment Group (abbreviated as Equipment Group) are both military-industrial state-owned enterprises supervised by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council but have different business domains. The former is mainly involved in the research and development of tanks and armored vehicles, as well as ammunition supply, while the latter is primarily engaged in the research, design, and manufacturing of military equipment.
On the morning of January 18, these two military-industrial state-owned enterprises held a Lunar New Year gathering for retired personnel in Beijing, with Chairman Cheng Fubo of the Ordnance Group and General Manager Zhang Yujin of the Equipment Group attending, but Chairman Xu Xianping of the Equipment Group was absent.
The official WeChat account of the Ordnance Group reported that the senior leadership visited and offered New Year greetings to “old leaders” on the eve of the New Year, detailing the names of Chairman Cheng Fubo and multiple Party members, but did not mention General Manager Liu Dashan.
As the second in command, Liu Dashan had already been absent from the group’s 2025 annual work meeting on January 19. Liu Dashan previously served as the Deputy General Manager of China General Technology (Group) and the Chairman of China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group.
On January 16, the Equipment Group held its 2025 work meeting, and General Manager Zhang Yujin gave a report. However, Chairman Xu Xianping was not seen in attendance. There have been rumors that Xu Xianping, who is also a member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, had been absent from the commission’s plenary session early in the month.
At 60 years old, Xu Xianping previously served as the General Manager of FAW Group and the Chairman of China General Technology (Group).
The Chinese Communist Party has around 11 state-owned military-industrial enterprises covering various fields including nuclear industry, aerospace, aviation, shipbuilding, ordnance, electronics, among others, such as China National Nuclear Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation, Aviation Industry Corporation of China, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, China Ordnance Industry Corporation, China Ordnance Equipment Group, China Electronics Technology Group, AVIC Engine Corporation Ltd., China Electronics Corporation, and China Academy of Engineering Physics.
A commentary article in the Hong Kong media Wen Wei Po recently stated that almost none of the aforementioned military-industrial state-owned enterprises have been spared from the anti-corruption storm and suggested that some of the missing senior executives might have been dealt with internally.
Over the past year, several senior executives from state-owned military-industrial enterprises have been investigated for corruption or have gone missing. For instance, Wu Yansheng, former Chairman of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, and Liu Shiquan, former Chairman of China Ordnance Industry Corporation, had their memberships in the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference revoked.