In the ongoing wave of corruption scandals within the Chinese Communist Party’s military-industrial complex, the dismissal of Jin Zhuanglong, the Party Secretary and Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (MIIT), has drawn attention. Jin has been notably absent from key events this year and was relieved of his Party Secretary position on February 28.
Official reports from the MIIT state that Li Lecheng has been appointed as the Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the MIIT, replacing Jin Zhuanglong. Li Lecheng is now in charge of overseeing the comprehensive work of the MIIT in place of Jin Zhuanglong.
Li Lecheng, born in March 1965, a member of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, previously served as the Deputy Secretary and Governor of Liaoning Province.
Jin Zhuanglong, born in March 1964, also a member of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, has held various high-level positions such as Director of the Shanghai Aerospace Bureau, Deputy General Manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, General Manager and Chairman of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). In addition, he served as the Executive Deputy Director of the Central Military-Civil Fusion Office from August 2017, and as Party Secretary of the MIIT from July 2022, later also assuming the role of Minister of the MIIT in September of the same year.
Since 2023, there has been a nationwide crackdown on corruption within the Chinese military and defense industry, resulting in the downfall of dozens of senior military officials and industry leaders. Jin Zhuanglong’s persistent absence from important Party meetings this year had already sparked speculation about his fate.
According to political commentator Li Lin, the disappearance or absence of these officials may indicate internal disciplinary actions. The severity of their punishments remains unknown, but it is certain that they are connected to issues of corruption or loyalty to Xi Jinping. This crackdown is likely to cast a shadow over relevant military-industrial projects.
Jin Zhuanglong previously served as the Deputy Team Leader of a large commercial aircraft project. He played a key role in establishing COMAC in 2008 and went on to become its General Manager. In January 2012, Jin Zhuanglong was appointed as the Chairman of COMAC, succeeding Zhang Qingwei as the company’s second Chairman.
COMAC, the main entity behind China’s major national aircraft project, was founded on May 11, 2008, headquartered in Shanghai. It produced the C919 aircraft, promoted as domestically manufactured but assembled with international parts. Jin Zhuanglong was hailed by the media as the “leader of China’s large aircraft project.” Under his leadership, the C919 successfully completed its maiden flight on May 5, 2017.
Furthermore, Zhou Xinmin, who had served as the General Manager of COMAC before being appointed as Chairman of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) less than a year ago, has recently missed a Lunar New Year gathering for retired employees, raising suspicions of further troubles within the defense industry.
In the recent anti-corruption campaign within the Chinese military-industrial complex, it appears that senior officials responsible for military-civil fusion have faced consequences. Both former Executive Deputy Director of the Central Military-Civil Fusion Office, Jin Zhuanglong, and current Executive Deputy Director Lei Fanpei, as well as Zhang Kejian, Director of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, have been notably absent from key meetings.
Dr. Shen Mingshi, Associate Professor at Tamkang University’s Institute of Strategic Studies, highlighted the potential pitfalls of China’s military-civil fusion strategy. Questions arise regarding ownership of research and development outcomes from private industries; profit distribution in cooperative production projects between the military and private companies; and the risk of corrupt practices involving substantial interests in these fusion projects and military establishments.