Senior official Ma Xingrui expelled from CPC, public office

Ma Xingrui, a former senior official of the Communist Party of China, has been expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office for serious violations of Party disciplines and national laws, according to an announcement made on Tuesday by China's top anti-corruption watchdogs.

The decision comes after an investigation conducted by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision. The investigation revealed that Ma, a former member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, committed severe breaches of political rules and Party disciplines, failing in his primary responsibility to enforce rigorous self-governance within the Party.

Ma was found to have ignored serious disciplinary violations, legal breaches, and alleged criminal conduct by his close staff, failing to supervise or manage them properly, which led to negative consequences. He violated rules regarding personnel management and internal discipline, was untruthful during official questioning, and used his authority to favor individuals in promotions and hiring decisions. Additionally, he and his relatives were involved in placing people in positions through improper channels.

The investigation also uncovered that Ma accepted gifts and cash, assisted family members in purchasing real estate at below-market prices, and engaged in power-for-sex and power-for-money transactions. He allowed his relatives to exploit his official influence for enormous gains, leading to widespread corruption involving his entire family. Ma also used his positions to secure benefits for others in business operations, project contracting, and job promotions, receiving vast sums of money and property in return.

Given these serious violations, Ma has been expelled from the Party and removed from public office. His illicit gains have been confiscated, and his suspected crimes, along with the assets involved, have been transferred to prosecutors for further review.

Ma, 66, who also served as the deputy head of the Leading Group for Rural Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, was placed under investigation in April.

A native of Shandong province, he joined the Party in January 1988 and began his career in March of that year. Formerly an aerospace engineer, he held several key positions in the sector. From 1996 to 2012, he occupied senior roles at the China Academy of Space Technology and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. In 2013, he was appointed to several important positions, including vice-minister of industry and information technology, head of the China National Space Administration, and director of the China Atomic Energy Authority.

Later in 2013, he began working in South China's Guangdong province, and in 2017, he became the provincial governor. From 2021 to 2025, he served as Party secretary of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.