Halfway through 2025, I have made an initial summary of the 13 corrupt officials who have been sentenced to over a billion yuan. Among them, 12 have received suspended death sentences, and 1 has been sentenced to life imprisonment. These officials consist of 10 party and government officials, and 3 corporate executives. Now, based on the officially disclosed amounts involved in the cases, I will rank these 13 individuals and then provide five comments.
On May 14, Zhaoweiguo, former chairman of Tsinghua University’s Ziguang Group, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by the Jilin Intermediate People’s Court for crimes of corruption, illegal profiteering for friends and family, and breaching trust to damage the interests of a listed company. His personal assets were also confiscated.
According to the court verdict, Zhaoweiguo’s main criminal activities can be summarized as follows:
1. Real estate speculation totaling 470 million yuan from 2018 to 2021.
2. Benefit transfer of 890 million yuan from 2014 to 2021.
3. In 2019, causing economic losses exceeding 46.45 million yuan to a listed company by instructing a director to lease company projects at below-market prices.
Zhaoweiguo, known as the “Chip Crazy,” once boasted about buying Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
On May 15, Du Wen, a former official in Inner Mongolia, revealed during his self-media program that he had contact with Zhaoweiguo. He stated, “I can responsibly say that Zhaoweiguo is a direct descendant of Hu Haifeng, the son of former CCP leader Hu Jintao. When Hu Haifeng served as the Party Secretary of Tsinghua Holdings Corporation, overseeing six listed companies, Zhaoweiguo was one of the core figures he relied on, trusted, and supported the most.”
During Zhaoweiguo’s tenure as chairman of Ziguang, Hu Heping served as the Party Secretary of Tsinghua University, with Chen Jining as the president. Speculation arose regarding potential benefit transfers between Zhaoweiguo and Hu Heping, Chen Jining, and Chen Xi.
On April 22, Li Pengxin, former deputy secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Party Committee, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by the Shaanxi Intermediate People’s Court for the crime of accepting bribes, with all his personal assets confiscated; later commuted to life imprisonment without parole, reduction, or parole.
The court established that from 1999 to 2023, Li Pengxin used his various positions to provide assistance in mining operations, business operations, and cadre appointments, causing direct economic losses of over 820 million yuan through direct or indirect bribery.
Li Pengxin was an old subordinate of Zhao Leji, a current member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and Chairman of the National People’s Congress. Li Pengxin worked in Qinghai for 34 years, parallel to Zhao Leji’s 33 years of service. Li Pengxin’s promotion in Qinghai was closely related to Zhao Leji.
During Zhao Leji’s tenure as a member of the CCP Politburo and Minister of the Central Organization Department from 2012 to 2017, Li Pengxin was promoted to Deputy Party Secretary of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
On July 8, Wang Yong, former Vice Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People’s Court in Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, for bribery, with all assets confiscated and a two-year reprieve.
The court concluded that from 2007 to 2023, Wang Yong, while holding various positions, provided assistance in project contracts, mineral development, and business operations, resulting in bribery totaling over 271 million yuan.
In April 2021, Wang Yong was transferred to Tibet and became the third “post-70s” Vice Chairman of the region.
Wang Yong’s appointment in Tibet was based on the assessment by Chen Xi, then a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and Minister of the Central Organization Department. Chen Xi believed that Wang Yong met the standards of “integrity in politics, integrity in power usage, integrity in self-repair, and integrity in managing the family.” The decision was later approved during deliberations by the CCP Politburo, including the Party leader Xi Jinping.
On May 19, Han Yong, the former Chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Political Consultative Conference, was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People’s Court in Nanning City, Guangxi, for bribery, with a two-year reprieve; all his personal assets were confiscated.
The court found that from 1993 to 2023, Han Yong used his various positions to provide assistance in business operations, project contracts, and cadre appointments, gaining benefits through direct or indirect bribery totaling over 261 million yuan.
In 2004, Han Yong served as the Deputy Party Secretary and Minister of Organization of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, reaching the deputy ministerial level.
Han Yong’s appointment in Xinjiang was recommended by He Guoqiang, then a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and Minister of the Central Organization Department. His conclusion was that Han Yong was “clean and upright.” Subsequently, the recommendation was approved by the Deputy Director of the CCP Politburo, Zeng Qinghong, before being submitted for formal approval during a CCP Politburo meeting.
On February 17, Liu Handong, former Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress, was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People’s Court in Xiangyang City, Hubei Province, for bribery, abuse of power, and illegal selling of land use rights; all assets were confiscated with a two-year reprieve.
The court established that from 1999 to 2023, Liu Handong provided assistance in land transfers, business operations, and personnel arrangements through his positions in various government offices, leading to direct bribery exceeding 245 million yuan. Additionally, he incurred significant economic losses through abuse of power, allowing others to profit illegally.
Liu Handong became the Vice Governor of Jiangsu Province in 2018, reaching the deputy ministerial level. His appointment was overseen by Chen Xi, then a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and Minister of the Central Organization Department. He was deemed a corruption-free official and received approval during a CCP Politburo meeting led by Xi Jinping.
On July 9, Dou Wanggui, former Vice Chairman of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Political Consultative Conference, was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People’s Court in Liuzhou City, Guangxi, for bribery, with all assets confiscated and a two-year reprieve.
The court identified that from 2003 to 2022, Dou Wanggui used his positions to obtain benefits in project contracts, mineral development, business operations, and personnel promotions, leading to direct or indirect bribery exceeding 229 million yuan.
Dou Wanggui became the Vice Chairman of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region Political Consultative Conference in 2018, reaching the deputy ministerial level. His appointment was overseen by Chen Xi, then a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and Minister of the Central Organization Department. He was recognized as a competent official with integrity, receiving approval during a CCP Politburo meeting led by Xi Jinping.
On April 15, Yin Meigen, former Deputy Chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial People’s Congress, was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People’s Court in Sanming City, Fujian Province, for bribery, with a two-year reprieve; all assets were confiscated.
The court established that from 2003 to February 2023, Yin Meigen provided assistance in project contracts, business operations, and personnel adjustments through his various government positions, leading to direct bribery exceeding 207 million yuan.
Yin Meigen became the Vice Governor of Jiangxi Province in November 2015, reaching the deputy ministerial level. His appointment was overseen by Chen Xi, then a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and Minister of the Central Organization Department. It was determined that he was a corruption-free official, and his appointment received approval during a CCP Politburo meeting led by Xi Jinping.
On June 30, Li Aiqing, former Chairman of Beijing Capital Entrepreneurship Group, was sentenced to death by the First Intermediate People’s Court in Beijing for bribery and misuse of authority charges, with all assets confiscated.
According to the official website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in 2022, Li Aiqing held top positions in Beijing State-owned Enterprises and the Beijing Entrepreneurship Group. He was involved in corruption cases involving over 200 million yuan and was described as abusing authority to achieve personal gain.
Li Aiqing referred to himself as the “savior” of state-owned enterprises and wielded absolute authority without constraints of regulations. During his tenure, Li showed favoritism and compromised the political environment of his workplace.
Li Aiqing was surrounded by a group looking to benefit from his influence, and he willingly engaged in corruption. For instance, in a collaboration project with a private company, Li accepted bribes totaling over 160 million yuan from the company’s CEO. This exchange was part of a long-standing relationship characterized by under-the-table agreements between government officials and business leaders. Li facilitated project procurement for the company, while enjoying a “butler-like service” from the businessman, describing it as a growing wealth of benefits.
Following Li Aiqing’s corruption scandal, his son, brother, nephew, and driver were all investigated simultaneously due to their involvement in his illicit activities.
Li Aiqing held the position of Chairman of Beijing State-owned Enterprises from 2002 to 2016, and Chairman of the Beijing Entrepreneurship Group from 2016 to 2020. The 160 million yuan bribery incident occurred during his leadership in both state-owned enterprises.
At that time, Li Aiqing’s superiors were Beijing Party Secretaries Jia Qinglin, Liu Qi, Guo Jinlong, and Cai Qi.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection referred to Li Aiqing’s descent from “leader” to “tyrant” in the company. His actions violated regulations and posed a threat to the company’s integrity.
Moreover, Li Aiqing assumed various roles in big banks in China and abroad, including the China Everbright Bank, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and the Standard Bank Group, leveraging his positions for personal gains.
Foreign media reported in 2019 that Deutsche Bank’s China and Hong Kong branches hired dozens of well-connected princelings without experience, with the initiative spearheaded by Li Aiqing.
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun noted that Li Aiqing was primarily involved in money laundering and asset transfers for a group of high-ranking CCP officials. Despite Li Aiqing’s public trial, these elite families remained untouched, indicating that Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign had little effect on real beneficiaries such as the Zhao family, demonstrating a lack of significant impact on elite families involved in past large-scale asset transfers.
On May 27, Peng Guofu former Vice Chairman of the Hunan Provincial People’s Congress, was sentenced to death by the First Intermediate People’s Court in Hainan for bribery, with a two-year reprieve; facing lifelong deprivation of political rights.
The court found that from 2004 to 2023, Peng Guofu provided assistance in project contracts, business operations, and personnel promotions, leading to direct or indirect bribery exceeding 134 million yuan.
Peng Guofu became the Vice Chairman of the Hunan Province Political Consultative Conference in January 2018, a position that reached the deputy ministerial level. His appointment was reviewed by Chen Xi, then a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and Minister of the Central Organization Department, and approved during a meeting led by Xi Jinping.
On May 16, Wang Yixin, former Vice Governor of Heilongjiang, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Intermediate People’s Court in Heze City, Shandong, for bribery, with all assets confiscated.
The court established that from July 2008 to October 2020, Wang Yixin used his positions to provide assistance in business operations, land development, and personnel promotions, resulting in direct bribery exceeding 129 million yuan.
In December 2021, Wang Yixin was appointed as the Vice Governor of Heilongjiang Province. His appointment was overseen by Chen Xi, then a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and Minister of the Central Organization Department, and approved by a meeting led by Xi Jinping.
On June 23, Liu Yuejin, former Anti-Terrorism Commissioner of the Ministry of Public Security, was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People’s Court in Fuzhou for bribery, with a two-year reprieve; all personal assets were confiscated.
The court found that from 1992 to 2020, Liu Yuejin used his positions to provide assistance in business operations and financing, resulting in direct or indirect bribery exceeding 121 million yuan.
According to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection’s notification, Liu Yuejin’s violations included retaining classified documents, using his power unlawfully, and engaging in corruption through power abuse.
Liu Yuejin was appointed to the position of Vice Director-General of the Ministry of Public Security during Meng Jian’s tenure as Minister, later becoming an important figure in Meng’s office. Later, during Guo Shengkun’s tenure as Minister, he served as a member of the Party Committee, Assistant Minister, and Counter-Terrorism Commissioner of the Ministry.
The key figures behind the promotion and utilization of Liu Yuejin were Meng Jian and Guo Shengkun.
On June 24, Dai Daojin, former Vice Chairman of the Hunan Provincial Political Consultative Conference, was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People’s Court in Zhuhai, Guangdong, for bribery and influence-peddling, with a two-year reprieve; all personal assets were confiscated.
The court found that from 2000 to 2024, Dai Daojin provided assistance in business operations, project contracts, and personnel promotions, resulting in direct bribery exceeding 107 million yuan. In addition, after his retirement, Dai continued to use his influence by indirectly receiving bribes totaling over 3.66 million yuan through his relatives.
In January 2018, Dai Daojin was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Hunan Provincial Political Consultative Conference. His appointment was reviewed by Chen Xi, then a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and Minister of the Central Organization Department, and approved during a meeting led by Xi Jinping.
Since Xi Jinping took office 13 years ago and initiated the anti-corruption campaign, the narrative has been “insist on hitting both ‘tigers’ and ‘flies’,” with “no restricted area, full coverage, and zero tolerance” towards corruption. However, the cases of the 13 corrupt officials mentioned above expose the flawed reality.
Among the 13 officials, 12 were convicted of bribery amounting to billions of yuan without a single instance of being on the receiving end of bribes. One may wonder if it is possible that they advanced in their careers and amassed wealth without engaging in bribery activities?
Han Yong was involved in corruption for 30 years, Liu Yuejin for 28 years, Dai Daojin for 25 years, Li Pengxin for 24 years, Liu Handong for 24 years, Yin Meigen for 20 years, Peng Guofu for 19 years, Dou Wanggui for 19 years, and Wang Yong for 16 years.
Each time they were promoted, it went through assessments by the CCP organizations, Party committees, and final decisions were made at the Politburo meetings. When these corrupted individuals were appointed to high-ranking positions, it went through scrutiny by the Central Organization Department, Politburo deliberations, and approval.
The selective prosecution and punishment during Xi Jinping’s term show that the anti-corruption campaign is not about eliminating corruption but rather “picking on the unlucky ones.” These officials are merely figures affected by chance, while the rest of the corrupt entities colluding with those in power go unpunished.
The duration of corruption indulged in by these officials, coupled with the checks and balances by the disciplinary inspection departments, from the central to local levels, raises questions about the actual efficacy of Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign.
The relentless crackdown on these corrupt officials appears to be a mere ritual if no actions are taken against the high-ranking individuals who supervised and neglected their misconduct. The doctrine of hitting corrupt officials seems to be more about timing than true reform.