Chinese state media reported on 14/7 that Ma Xingrui, 67, a former politburo member of the Communist Party of China and former party secretary of the Xinjiang autonomous region, was expelled from the party and dismissed from his post. This action followed an investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission. The Politburo of China reviewed and approved the investigation report at a meeting on 30/6.
Ma came under investigation by the CCDI in April on allegations of "seriously violating discipline and law," a phrase commonly used to describe corruption. He is the third member of the 2022-2027 Politburo term to face investigation.
The CCDI concluded that Ma "lost his ideals and beliefs," abandoned his political stance, betrayed the party's tenets and mission, and seriously violated discipline and political regulations.
The investigative body also accused Ma of accepting illicit gifts and money, aiding relatives in purchasing homes below market value, engaging in "power-for-sex" and "money-for-sex" transactions, and allowing relatives to exploit his official influence for illicit gain, thereby fostering significant family corruption.
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Ma Xingrui, former party secretary of the Xinjiang autonomous region, at the Two Sessions meeting on 7/3/2024 in Beijing. *Reuters*
Investigators accused Ma of abusing his power to facilitate benefits for others in business dealings, project bids, and official appointments and promotions. He directly or through relatives arranged jobs for others, and received substantial illicit funds and assets through family members or close associates.
According to the CCDI, Ma also neglected oversight, failing to prevent or address severe violations by his subordinates, which resulted in serious consequences.
The agency stated that Ma did not truthfully declare corruption issues during the initial inspection and continued his misconduct even after President Xi Jinping launched the anti-corruption campaign.
Chinese officials deemed Ma's conduct "exceptionally severe" and stated it had a detrimental impact on the nation. All illicitly gained assets will be confiscated, and Ma's case has been referred to prosecutors.
Ma was a scientist in the aerospace industry, responsible for many important Chinese space programs. He was later appointed to leadership positions in Shenzhen and Xinjiang before being elected to the Politburo at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2022.
Thanh Danh (According to Xinhua, Reuters, SCMP)
