The Chinese military-industrial complex is in a state of continuous turmoil. On January 24th, the former Party Secretary and Chairman of the China North Industries Group Corporation’s Harbin First Machinery Group Co., Ltd., Xue Jianguo, was placed under investigation.
According to the disciplinary inspection commission of the China North Industries Group Corporation and the disciplinary committee of the Bei District, Xue Jianguo, the former Party Secretary and Chairman of the Harbin First Machinery Group Co., Ltd. under the China North Industries Group Corporation, is suspected of serious violations of discipline and law, and is currently under investigation.
In recent years, the anti-corruption storm within the Chinese Communist Party’s military has been steadily expanding, with the military-industrial complex becoming a key focus after starting with the Rocket Force.
Xue Jianguo, who is now under investigation, is not the first senior official within the China North Industries Group Corporation to face trouble in recent years. In April last year, Li Zhaozhi, the former Minister of Equipment Support Department of the China North Industries Group Corporation, was investigated for serious violations of discipline and law; in December the year before last, Liu Shiquan, the Chairman of the China North Industries Group Corporation, had his membership in the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference revoked amidst speculation of his involvement in corruption cases.
Additionally, recently on the official website of the China Aviation Industry Corporation, the resumes of the General Manager Hao Zhaoping and Deputy General Manager Yang Wei were both removed. Hao Zhaoping is an expert in Chinese military rockets and missiles, while Yang Wei is the chief designer of the Chinese military’s “J-20” stealth fighter jet, often referred to as the “father of J-20”.
During a meeting held by the China Nuclear Industry Group on January 17th, almost all senior executives were present except for the Party Secretary and Chairman Yu Jianfeng; furthermore, at a meeting convened by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, the Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Jin Zhuanglong, who comes from an aerospace background, was once again absent.
In addition to them, at the end of 2023, Guo Pingxiao, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee of China North Industries Group’s Beiben Heavy-Duty Truck Group Co., Ltd., was placed under investigation, and in February 2024, Zhang Jianwu, the former Party Secretary of the Changchun Equipment Technology Institute under the China North Industries Group Corporation, was also being investigated.
Furthermore, the former Deputy General Manager of the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, He Wenzhong, who was investigated in April last year and accused of “living off military industries,” has recently been indicted.