CCP’s Military Corruption Scandal Sparks Concern Over "Model Party Members"

The CCP's military-industrial and energy systems are undergoing a purge. The image shows the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's (MIIT) office on Wanshou Road (formerly the Ministry of Electronics Industry), with a plaque for the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC). (N509F/Wikimedia Commons)

November 2, 2024 - The CCP’s anti-corruption campaign is increasingly targeting officials of all ranks. However, it has been observed that, according to the CCP, these officials supposedly possess strong "party loyalty." Recently, two military industry figures, He Wenzhong and Xiao Longxu, who were both praised as "model Party members" at national and military levels, were exposed for corruption, sparking discussion over the dangers of CCP’s party loyalty.

On October 24, former Deputy General Manager of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, He Wenzhong, was arrested.

The CCP often summarizes the crimes of corrupt officials with phrases like "relying on finance to profit from finance" or "relying on poverty alleviation to profit from poverty alleviation." He Wenzhong, who was ousted in April, was described by the CCP’s disciplinary commission as "relying on military industry to profit from military industry," taking bribes since before 2012.

In 2020, He Wenzhong was recognized as a "National Excellent Communist Party Member" and an "Advanced Individual in the Fight Against COVID-19."

Radio Free Asia commentator Gao Xin noted in a November 1 article that He’s latter title was granted due to his use of advanced information technology to help Xi Jinping effectively control the COVID-19 lockdowns for China’s 1.4 billion people.

On October 11 this year, another prominent figure, missile expert Xiao Longxu, had his position as a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference revoked.

Xiao Longxu, a chief engineer at the PLA Rocket Force Research Institute and an "expert in missile development evaluation and application engineering," was named a "model Communist Party member of the entire military" by the Central Military Commission in 2021.

In fact, there are numerous examples of ousted officials who had previously been publicly praised for their party loyalty and exemplary conduct.

In 2016, overseas media widely reported that Guo Jianying, the head of financial supplies for the Chinese Air Force General Hospital and a female senior colonel, had been investigated after a billion yuan in cash was found in her home, with some banknotes severely moldy. It caused a stir that Guo Jianying had been considered a "good cadre," an exemplary Party member, and was praised as a "model accountant in the army who managed money with Party loyalty."

One netizen remarked about the official praise for Guo, saying that this woman amassed both fame and fortune, showing her true "party loyalty." It was precisely because of her party loyalty that she safeguarded her personal finances so well, making her wealth grow.

Former Beijing “tiger,” former deputy Party secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, Lü Xiwen, was named an "Outstanding Communist Party Member" for nine consecutive years.

Disgraced former Politburo member Sun Zhengcai, who held various positions before becoming the Party Secretary of Chongqing, was named an outstanding Party member and cadre for 11 consecutive years. Despite this, he received much criticism within and outside the Party, with frequent reports against him.

Hong Kong media reported that Sun Zhengcai was nicknamed "the amorous district Party secretary" and "the luxury watch minister" due to his extravagant lifestyle.

Another official, former Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun, known for massive corruption, was described as highly loyal to the Party. Just before his downfall, an old report titled "Interview with Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun: Never Returning Home for the New Year" resurfaced on China National Radio.

Qiu Xiaohua, a former head of China’s National Bureau of Statistics who served prison time for corruption, once remarked in a speech in Shenzhen that nearly 90% of people in government would be detained at some point due to issues they couldn’t avoid.

Singaporean scholar Bo Zhiyue estimated that only 0.000001% of CCP officials could be considered clean.

Former Maoming Party Secretary Luo Yingguo, who died in prison in 2016, angrily said during his trial in 2011, "If I’m corrupt, then that means the entire CCP officialdom is corrupt! Is there anyone of my level in China who isn’t corrupt? The CCP promotes corrupt officials to lead other corrupt officials."

Commentator Li Linyi noted that, before being investigated, CCP officials all appear to be incorruptible like Jiao Yulu, but once investigated, each turns out to be a "Lei Zhengfu."

Lei Zhengfu, a former Party secretary of Beibei District, Chongqing, was ousted in November 2012 after a scandal involving an obscene video.

The Beijing Daily once published an article hinting at the "party loyalty code" that turns normal people corrupt. According to the report, Wang Min, a former Jinan Party Secretary who was ousted after being secretly filmed at a brothel operated by Zhao Jin, especially loved watching "red" films, often watching them alone repeatedly and even crying passionately.

An article by "Tang Zhen" argued that figures like Karl Marx (who had an illegitimate child), Lenin (who had syphilis), Mao Zedong (who had numerous wives and concubines), and Jiang Zemin (who governed with corruption and indulgence) represent a path where every CCP official, if they do not resist the Party’s influence internally and rid themselves of its control, will inevitably follow a path of corruption and debauchery.

Editor: Lin Congwen