Ma Xingrui, a member of China's elite Politburo, is under investigation for suspected “serious violation of law and discipline”, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced on Friday. He is the third Politburo member to be probed in the current term that began in 2022.
Ma also serves as deputy leader of the central rural work leading group. The investigation follows the probe of General Zhang Youxia in January and the expulsion of He Weidong last year for corruption, which reduced the 24-member Politburo to 23. Ma and Zhang remain members in name only while investigations continue.
Ma's last known public appearance was at the Communist Party Central Committee's Fourth Plenum in late October. He has since been absent from state broadcaster footage of key events, including the annual parliament meeting last month. He was removed as Xinjiang party chief in July, replaced by Chen Xiaojiang.
China's anti-corruption campaign, a signature policy of President Xi Jinping since 2012, has purged thousands of officials. Analysts say it also enforces loyalty to Xi among party and government officials. In June 2024, former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe were expelled from the party over corruption charges.
