Former Deputy Mayor of Beijing Gao Peng Suspected of Bribery and Dereliction of Duty Prosecuted

On March 24th, former party member and deputy mayor of Beijing, Gao Peng, was accused of bribery and dereliction of duty by the prosecutor’s office and has recently been prosecuted by the court.

According to the indictment, Gao Peng allegedly used his positions as assistant general manager and manager of financing and construction department at Jing Tou Corporation, chairman and general manager of Beijing Metro Line 10 Investment Limited Liability Company, deputy district mayor of Fengtai District in Beijing, deputy director of the Beijing Development and Reform Commission, deputy secretary, district mayor, and district party secretary of Shunyi District, Beijing to seek benefits for others. He also allegedly used his own authority and position to help others obtain undue benefits through the actions of other state officials, illegally accepting a substantial amount of money. He is being charged with bribery and dereliction of duty.

Gao Peng, born in July 1972 in Fengcheng, Liaoning, had a long career in Beijing. He held various positions including member of the Fengtai District Committee and deputy district mayor in Beijing since December 2011, member of the Party Committee and deputy director of the Beijing Development and Reform Commission in January 2014, deputy secretary of the Shunyi District Party Committee in Beijing after December 2015, and secretary of the Shunyi District Party Committee in April 2018.

In January 2023, he was appointed as a member of the Beijing Municipal Government Party Committee and deputy mayor, ranking as a deputy ministerial-level official. During his tenure, Gao Peng was in charge of overseeing the Beijing City Urban Management Committee, Beijing City Transportation Committee, Beijing Tiananmen Area Management Committee, and Beijing Key Station Zone Management Committee.

On April 21st last year, Gao Peng was reported to be under investigation and was removed from his position as deputy mayor of Beijing after serving for just over a year.

Before being investigated, Gao Peng was the youngest deputy mayor in Beijing at that time. He became the first deputy ministerial-level official in Beijing to fall from grace since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

In May last year, Gao Peng was relieved from his position as deputy mayor of Beijing, and on October 22nd of the same year, he was officially expelled from the party and government positions.

Accusations against Gao Peng include cowardice and evading responsibility in the face of major risks, causing adverse political influences. He was found to have sought benefits for others through irregularities in the selection and appointment of officials, engaged in fraudulent activities related to education credentials and degrees, accepted bribes, engaged in unauthorized trading of stocks, misused large sums of money from management and service subjects, participated in corrupt practices for personal gain, disregarded his duties, and indulged in pleasures and low-level pursuits.

These allegations highlight serious breaches of ethics and responsibilities that Gao Peng will have to face as his case moves through legal proceedings.