Xi's Financial Troubles Escalate as Political Landmines Threaten to Explode at Any Moment

A month ago, media reports claimed that China’s First Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang had been suspended. (Screenshot from video)

[People News] Recently, two pieces of news have caught the public's attention.

The first report states that the Hefei police announced that at approximately 1 PM on December 18, a 46-year-old man named Lü lost consciousness in an office at the intersection of Wangjiang West Road and Peacock Terrace Road. Police responded to the scene, and emergency personnel confirmed that Lü showed no signs of life. Following an investigation by public security authorities, any criminal activity has been ruled out. However, the police did not provide an explanation for Lü's loss of consciousness.

After the Hefei police issued their statement, a suspected insider cited information from a local hospital, revealing, "At the north side of the road, 200 meters east of the intersection of Wangjiang West Road and Peacock Terrace Road in Hefei High-tech Zone, a staff member (Lü, male, 46 years old) was admitted with a neck laceration and was pronounced dead at the scene. A death notice was issued, and the case was handed over to the police."

This news has sparked considerable discussion among netizens, with comments such as: "What happened? Suicide? What does accidental death mean?" "His neck was slashed," "Another pawn has become cannon fodder," "Could this be related to Cambodia?" "Another scapegoat; the three major telecom operators can no longer provide communication services to northern Myanmar, as mandated by the United States."

In the second piece of news, on December 19, the Chinese Communist Party officially reported that Hao Rong, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and president of the Central Academy of Drama, is under investigation for serious disciplinary violations and illegal activities after voluntarily surrendering.

Commentator Jiang Feng remarked that his analysis of the two news items reveals a "terrifying scene of political hunting," where "an invisible hand is precisely targeting the two core circles of Xi Jinping." On one side, it effectively cuts off the financial resources of Xi Jinping's chief steward, Ding Xuexiang, while on the other, it harshly deals with Xi Jinping's pawns in the entertainment industry.

Jiang Feng pointed out that the news of Lu Pin's death was released simultaneously with the official announcement, and a deluge of leaks from local hospitals in Hefei and within Guodun Quantum surfaced. Multiple independent sources, including medical personnel who treated him, disclosed that Lu Pin did not merely faint or suffer a heart attack; instead, he had a fatal sharp weapon injury to his neck, with wounds deep enough to expose bone. To be more direct, Lu Pin was brutally silenced.

Lu Pin is the chairman of Hefei Guodun Quantum Technology Co., Ltd. Jiang Feng highlighted that this company, which has been lauded, has accumulated losses of 270 million over four consecutive years leading up to 2025. While revenue has increased, profits remain negative. This zombie enterprise, which has consistently lost money, once saw its market value inflated to over 50 billion, with its stock price peaking at 485 yuan. If there were no market manipulators and no backing from powerful interests, it would be hard to believe. So, who is actually providing support to this struggling enterprise?

Jiang Feng provided an example, stating that in March 2024, China Telecom unexpectedly announced an investment of 1.775 billion yuan to acquire a stake in Guodun Quantum, thus becoming its controlling shareholder. When a state-owned enterprise uses taxpayers' money to take over a consistently loss-making venture, it is termed commercial suicide; however, in political terms, it is referred to as a political mission or a precise blood transfusion.

The financial report of Guodun Quantum serves as the best evidence of money being taken from the national treasury for the purpose of interest transfer.

Jiang Feng highlighted that Lü Pin's former superior is Tang Ke, the general manager of China Telecom's Guangdong branch. At that time, the top leader in Guangdong was Ma Xingrui, the secretary of the Xinjiang Party Committee, while the vice premier responsible for overseeing the entire country's technology and industry, as well as the executive work of the State Council, was Ding Xuexiang, who is Xi Jinping's most trusted aide. Does this connection become clear now? Lü Pin, Tang Ke, Ma Xingrui, and Ding Xuexiang are all integral parts of Xi Jinping's power structure, with Ding Xuexiang being a crucial link. Not only does he come from the General Office, but he also currently controls the direction of China's technological development and the allocation of substantial scientific research funding. Over the past few years, the so-called new productive forces and the so-called leap in quantum technology chips have essentially turned into a super ATM for the Ding Xuexiang family and Xi's faction.

There are only two possible explanations for Lü Pin's death. The first is that he realised the depth of the pit was insurmountable, even for a giant like China Telecom, and he discovered that funds had previously been funnelled to certain untouchable figures, such as the Ding Xuexiang family's intermediaries. To silence him, he was killed. The second possibility is that anti-Xi forces had obtained irrefutable evidence of Lü Pin's money laundering and were preparing to use him to bring down Ding Xuexiang. In a bid to protect himself and sever the evidence chain, Ding Xuexiang had no choice but to eliminate Lü Pin. Regardless of which scenario is true, it signifies that Ding Xuexiang's financial resources have been severely compromised. The loss of 1.7 billion in state assets has now turned into a dead account with no supporting evidence, yet it has also become a political landmine that could detonate at any moment.

Next, Jiang Feng discussed the self-surrender of Hao Rong, the president of the Central Academy of Drama. Jiang Feng noted that Hao Rong is the mentor of actor Jin Dong, who portrayed Xi Zhongxun in the red film 'Northwest Years,' Xi Jinping's biological father. Jin Dong's ability to land this role suggests he is an actor who enjoys the absolute trust of the Xi family. Hao Rong served as Jin Dong's homeroom teacher at the Central Academy of Drama, indicating a very close relationship between them.

Jiang Feng remarked that in an effort to curry favour with his superiors, Hao Rong, as a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, went to great lengths to flatter them by submitting a proposal during the 2023 Two Sessions, advocating for the creative promotion of 'digital drama' to support the construction of a 'Digital China.' This initiative coincided with Xi Jinping and Ding Xuexiang's vigorous push for digital centralisation, big data surveillance, and the so-called mental productivity.

Jiang Feng believes that Hao Rong's predicament illustrates that Xi Jinping is unable to protect even the teacher of the actor who portrays his own father.

Hao Rong was promoted by Lin Huiqing, the Deputy Minister of Education. The connection between Lin Huiqing and Peng Liyuan is well-known in both the education and cultural sectors. During Lin Huiqing's tenure, she actively promoted a group of cadres who were politically savvy and capable of forming effective teams. Hao Rong stands out as one of the most distinguished among them.

Currently, Zhang Youxia and the elder faction are intent on systematically removing the support surrounding Peng Liyuan, and targeting Hao Rong is a key part of this strategy. Additionally, this serves as a warning to the cultural and artistic communities. Directors and actors who have been trying to advance their careers and accumulate wealth through their connections with the first lady must now reconsider their approaches; Hao Rong serves as a cautionary example for them. △