Ma Xingrui 'Double Expelled' as China's Military-Industrial System Shakes

(CNA, Taipei, 14th) The BBC Chinese website today cited expert analysis stating that the downfall of Ma Xingrui, a member of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo, signifies that General Secretary Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign within the military-industrial system has now extended to the highest-level figures in China's defense industry.

Xinhua News Agency announced today that Ma Xingrui, a member of the Central Political Bureau and former Party Secretary of Xinjiang, has been expelled from the Party and removed from public office (a 'double expulsion').

At the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in 2022, Xi Jinping heavily promoted figures from the military-industrial sector, elevating four individuals with military-industrial backgrounds into the Politburo: Ma Xingrui, former General Manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation; Yuan Jiagun, former Deputy General Manager of the same corporation and commander-in-chief of the Shenzhou spacecraft; Zhang Guoqing, former General Manager of China North Industries Group Corporation; and Liu Guozhong, who previously worked at the same group.

Prior to his downfall, Ma Xingrui served as the Party Secretary of Xinjiang. Yuan Jiagun is currently the Party Secretary of Chongqing, while Zhang Guoqing and Liu Guozhong are both Vice Premiers of the State Council.

Li Cheng, Director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, analyzed after the 20th Party Congress that among Xi Jinping's inner circle for his third term, many new technocrats have been reappointed—distinct from the Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao eras—and can be termed 'Technocrats 2.0'.

Chen Cheng, a political science professor at the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY Albany), told BBC: 'Although we do not yet have all the details, Ma's downfall is highly likely related to the large-scale anti-corruption campaign currently underway within the Chinese military.'

The anti-corruption campaign within the People's Liberation Army began several years ago with the purge of senior officials in the Rocket Force and has since implicated numerous high-ranking officers, affecting the defense industry sector as well.

The YouTube political commentator 'Zhonggui Zhongju' noted that this round of anti-corruption efforts within state-owned military enterprises began with aerospace SOEs most closely tied to the Rocket Force, resulting in the sweeping removal of leaders from all 11 vice-ministerial-level military conglomerates, including China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. On December 24 last year, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) revoked the national committee membership of eight individuals, seven of whom were chairpersons of vice-ministerial-level SOEs, primarily concentrated in military-industrial enterprises.

'Ma's downfall indicates that this campaign has now reached heavyweight figures at the very top of China's defense industry,' Chen Cheng said. 'This is not surprising, given the extremely close ties between China's aerospace industry and the military, especially the Rocket Force.'

Chen Cheng pointed out that as investigations continue, Ma is unlikely to be the last person implicated. 'This demonstrates Xi Jinping's determination to eliminate corruption within the Chinese military and defense departments.'

Deng Yuwen, an independent scholar and political commentator, analyzed on X that the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's announcement on Ma's case notably lacks politically charged language commonly seen in cases involving high-ranking officials such as former Vice Chairmen of the Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia and He Weidong—phrases like 'forming cliques,' 'expanding political ambitions,' 'disloyalty to the Party,' and 'undermining Party unity.'

Deng concluded that Ma's case does not involve political issues. Instead, Ma's problems stem primarily from systemic corruption where power, money, and family interests are intertwined. (Edited by Zhu Jianling / Feng Zhao) 1150714

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