Involved in Communist Party’s Aerospace Network Case, Southern Grid Senior Official Long Fei on Trial.

Former chief of the discipline inspection team of China Southern Power Grid, Long Fei, was charged with accepting bribes exceeding 6.13 million Chinese yuan. The first trial of his case took place yesterday (21st) at the Intermediate People’s Court in Yantai City, Shandong Province. Long Fei was previously a high-ranking secretary and office director of the Aerospace Electromechanical Group (later renamed Aerospace Science and Technology Group). Analysts believe Long Fei may be a key figure in exposing the “military industry tiger”.

According to the Yantai City Prosecutor’s Office, Long Fei served in various positions from 2000 to 2023, including as the secretary of the general manager’s office at China Aerospace Electromechanical Group, the deputy director and director of the general office at China Aerospace Science and Technology Group, the discipline inspection team leader of China Yangtze River Three Gorges Group, and the discipline inspection team leader of China Southern Power Grid. During his tenure, Long Fei allegedly provided assistance to entities and individuals in business operations, project contracting, and received illegal benefits.

In February 2024, Long Fei was investigated during his term and subsequently expelled from the Communist Party of China and dismissed from public office in August of the same year. The official report accused Long Fei of embezzling significant sums of money from target groups under the guise of management and service, engaging in corruption and questionable financial dealings.

Public records show that Long Fei, aged 55, joined the China Aerospace Corporation in 1992 and worked there until 2014. He later held positions at the Yangtze River Three Gorges Group and China Southern Power Grid.

In July 1999, China Aerospace Corporation was divided into China Aerospace Science and Technology Group and China Aerospace Electromechanical Group. In July 2001, China Aerospace Electromechanical Group was renamed China Aerospace Science and Technology Group. In November 2017, it was once again renamed to China Aerospace Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd. The company is a major state-owned enterprise engaged in missile industry, aerospace equipment research, design, manufacturing, launch, and maintenance.

Since 2023, a series of high-profile military corruption cases, represented by the Rocket Army corruption scandal, have led to the downfall of numerous senior military officers, including two former defense ministers, Wei Feng and Li Shangfu. Additionally, top executives from military-industrial enterprises have been implicated, such as Liu Shiquan, Chairman of China Weapons Industry Group, Yuan Jie, Chairman of China Aerospace Science and Technology Group, and Chen Guoying, General Manager of China Weapon Equipment Group.

Chen Guoying served in various roles within China Aerospace Corporation and China Aerospace Science and Technology Group, becoming Vice General Manager of Aerospace Science and Technology Group in May 2018, Director and General Manager of Aerospace Science and Technology Group in November 2020, and Director and General Manager of China Weapon Equipment Group in February 2022.

Liu Shiquan also held positions in Aerospace Corporation, Aerospace Electromechanical Group, and Aerospace Science and Technology Group. He was Vice General Manager of Aerospace Science and Technology Group in January 2013, Director and General Manager of Aerospace Science and Technology Group in February 2019, and Chairman of China Weapons Industry Group in May 2022.

Yuan Jie, who previously worked at China Aerospace Corporation (later China Aerospace Science and Technology Group), held roles such as Vice General Manager and Director and General Manager of Aerospace Science and Technology Group. She became Chairman of Aerospace Science and Technology Group in June 2020.

Recently, incumbent National People’s Congress Standing Committee member and former Hunan Provincial Party Secretary Xu Dazhe, who has been absent from major meetings, is rumored to be in trouble.

Xu Dazhe, who previously worked at China Aerospace Corporation for an extended period, later served as Vice General Manager of Aerospace Science and Technology Group from June 2007 to April 2013.

Hunan Aerospace Party Secretary Jiao Jige, who fell from grace in January 2025, had a long history within China Aerospace Science and Technology Group, previously serving as Director of the Sixth Research Institute and Deputy Director of 061 Base. In 2017, Jiao Jige was appointed Vice General Manager of Hunan Aerospace under Aerospace Science and Technology Group, becoming General Manager in 2019, Party Secretary and Chairman in July 2021, as well as Director of China Aerospace Science and Technology Foundation (Hunan Aerospace Management Bureau).

Zhang Hongwen, Anhui Provincial Party Standing Committee member and Hefei City Party Secretary, who had been missing for months, was relieved of his duties in March of this year. He previously held positions such as Director of the Third Institute of Aerospace Science and Technology Group, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Chief Researcher, Vice General Manager of Aerospace Science and Technology Group, before becoming Anhui Vice Governor, Provincial Standing Committee member, and Hefei City Party Secretary in 2020.

According to commentator Gao Xin from Radio Free Asia, these individuals had some level of connection within the Aerospace Science and Technology Group system. It is speculated that Xu Dazhe and Zhang Hongwen may have been implicated by former Aerospace Science and Technology Group senior executive Long Fei.

The article states that Long Fei previously served as a secretary in the general manager’s office of China Aerospace Electromechanical Group and as deputy director and director of the general office of China Aerospace Science and Technology Group. Judging by the timeline, it is suggested that his service was closely related to Xu Dazhe.

During Xu Dazhe’s six-year tenure at Aerospace Science and Technology Group, Long Fei gradually rose in ranks from the secretary of the general manager’s office to become the deputy bureau-level inspector, deputy director, and director of the group’s general office. When Xu Dazhe left the Aerospace Science and Technology Group, Long Fei chose not to follow him, resulting in his appointment as the director of the general office and chairman of China Aerospace Science and Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. In a year, he was then appointed as a member of the Party Committee and discipline inspection team leader of China Yangtze River Three Gorges Group by the Organization Department and Discipline Inspection Commission. During that period, Long Fei was reportedly involved in “seeking benefits for others and illegally accepting financial gains” under Xu Dazhe’s watch.