March 10, 2025, Beijing Great Hall of the People—A security guard stands at the entrance before the closing ceremony of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. (WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images)
[People News] The political landscape of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is once again in turmoil. On April 3, the CCP officially announced that Ma Xingrui, a current member of the Central Political Bureau and deputy head of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, is under disciplinary review and investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission due to suspected 'serious violations of discipline and law.' Ma Xingrui's downfall not only signifies the further disintegration of the CCP's 'aerospace faction' bureaucratic system but also ignites intense discussions about whether he has lost the powerful political support of CCP leader Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan.
Officially Disclosing a Previously Secret Position
According to a report from Xinhua News Agency, Ma Xingrui currently holds the position of deputy head of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, marking the first time this specific role has been disclosed since he stepped down as Secretary of the Xinjiang Party Committee.
Once considered a core member of Xi Jinping's faction, Ma Xingrui has been shrouded in ambiguity since his removal from the Xinjiang Secretary position in July 2025, with official statements merely indicating he was 'assigned to another position.'
In reality, the signs of Ma Xingrui's 'decline in power' had been apparent for some time. Since the end of last year, he has missed several key meetings, including the Political Bureau's collective study in November 2025, the Central Economic Work Conference in December, and the fifth plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in early 2026.
During the Chinese Communist Party's "Two Sessions" in March this year, Ma Xingrui was not only absent but was also "removed" from the praesidium of the National People's Congress. At the farewell ceremonies for several elder statesmen, while political bureau members collectively sent wreaths, his name was conspicuously missing. Now, with the official announcement of his downfall, the long-anticipated "boot" has finally dropped.
The "Family Connections" Between Xi, Peng, and Ma Xingrui
The political shock of Ma Xingrui's fall stems from his status as one of Xi Jinping's closest high-ranking officials. Insiders reveal that Ma Xingrui has deep family ties with Xi Jinping's wife, Peng Liyuan.
Although Ma Xingrui was born in Northeast China, his ancestral home is in Yuncheng, Shandong, where his father shares the same hometown as Peng Liyuan, leading to their families being described as "family friends." The Financial Times has previously quoted sources indicating that Ma Xingrui frequently visited the Xi family before Xi Jinping assumed power, and his relationship with Peng Liyuan was notably close. Independent commentator Cai Shenkun also revealed that Peng Liyuan lived with the Ma family for a time during her childhood.
Independent commentator Du Zheng pointed out in a report that Ma Xingrui was a favoured figure in the political sphere of the Xi couple and was even considered an important pawn in Peng Liyuan's "political involvement." Furthermore, it is rumoured that Ma Xingrui's wife, Rong Li, is a "close friend" of Peng Liyuan and has been referred to as Peng Liyuan's "white glove" or someone who assists her in "managing finances."
Given such a close relationship, why were Xi and Peng ultimately unable to protect Ma Xingrui?
The Quagmire of Corruption: The Military-Industrial System, the Guangdong Faction, and the List of Xu Jiayin
Analysts believe that the primary reason for Ma Xingrui's downfall is linked to multiple corruption networks. Firstly, there has been a complete collapse of both the 'Aerospace System' and the 'Military-Industrial Faction.' As a technical bureaucrat in the aerospace sector, Ma Xingrui previously held the position of general manager at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Given the ongoing corruption scandal within the Chinese military-industrial system, it is clear that Ma Xingrui could not remain uninvolved.
Secondly, corruption issues during Ma Xingrui's administration in Guangdong and Xinjiang have also come to light. Notably, during his time in Guangdong, rumours emerged in Guangzhou that after the arrest of Evergrande Group's chairman Xu Jiayin in 2023, he provided a lengthy list of high-ranking officials involved in bribery, with Ma Xingrui prominently featured. Reports suggest that Xu Jiayin had funnelled significant benefits to this 'noble person.' Additionally, Ma Xingrui's family members, including his brother Ma Xingquan and several relatives, are also mired in corruption allegations.
Du Zheng posits that when corruption reaches the military-industrial system and the Ma Xingrui family, even if Xi Jinping and his wife wish to offer protection, the immense political pressure within the party and the evidence of wrongdoing make it 'difficult to manage.' Ultimately, Xi Jinping may be compelled to 'tearfully cut off' Ma Xingrui in the Year of the Horse to uphold his public image of fighting corruption.
'Cutting the Hem' Operation: Secretaries and Former Associates Under Investigation
Prior to the official announcement of Ma Xingrui's investigation, his political domain had already experienced a 'cutting the hem' style purge. Since the beginning of this year, several bureaucrats who previously served as secretaries to Ma Xingrui have been successively implicated. On March 27, Guo Yonghang, Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Political Consultative Conference, was investigated; he had served as Ma Xingrui's 'chief secretary' during Ma's tenure as Secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee. Furthermore, Gao Shiwen, who was Ma Xingrui's secretary for many years during his time in the aerospace sector, also mysteriously vanished in February of this year.
It is noteworthy that both Guo Yonghang and Gao Shiwen hail from Shandong, clearly identifying them with the 'Shandong Gang.' Analysts suggest that in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hierarchy, secretaries often assume the role of 'house slaves,' and their fall from grace typically signals a crisis for their superiors. Additionally, several of Ma Xingrui's subordinates from his tenure in Xinjiang, including Chen Weijun, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Xinjiang government, and Liu Chen, the Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, have recently come under intense scrutiny.
The 'massive collapse' of Xi Jinping's inner circle
Ma Xingrui's downfall is perceived by many as part of the most significant collapse of the CCP's power core in the past 50 years. As a close ally of Xi Jinping, Ma's fall sends a stark message: under Xi's 'one-man system,' even political figures with close ties to the 'First Lady' can quickly become political sacrifices if they become embroiled in conflicts of interest or power struggles.
This situation has sparked ongoing discussions among netizens both domestically and internationally. Some mainland users expressed their sentiments, saying, 'This is the real big tiger,' and 'Old Ma has stumbled.' Meanwhile, international observers suggest that the Ma Xingrui case may have deeper political ramifications, and his downfall could inflict a devastating blow on the 'Shandong Gang' and the bureaucrats associated with the 'Aerospace System.'
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