Is it all the ladies' fault? Han Jun has been unexpectedly dismissed, with rumours linking him to Li Ganjie and Ma Xingrui.

Ma Xingrui implicates three national-level leaders as X's faction faces a major purge (video)

[People News] The internal power struggle within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has escalated to a 'ministerial-level' mode ahead of the 21st National Congress. On the afternoon of April 28, a relevant official from the CCP Organisation Department attended a leadership meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, where a central decision was announced: Comrade Han Jun has been removed from his position as Party Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Public records indicate that Han Jun was born in December 1963 and is a member of the 20th Central Committee. He has previously held positions such as Governor of Jilin Province and Secretary of the Anhui Provincial Committee, and he was appointed as Party Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in June 2024. Currently, Han Jun's name has been removed from the 'Ministry Leaders' section of the official website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Han Jun was dismissed less than two years after assuming the role of Party Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. According to CCP regulations, the retirement age for ministerial-level officials is 65, with a possible extension to 68. With more than three years remaining until his retirement, his sudden dismissal appears quite unusual. Furthermore, the CCP has not clarified its future role, nor has it used standard phrases like 'assigned to another position' that are typically employed during normal transitions. Observers suggest that he is likely in a precarious situation. Even more striking is that the CCP's announcement of his dismissal did not follow the established organisational procedures; instead, it was communicated through the attendance of the Organisation Department head at a departmental leadership meeting, indicating that this was a deliberate decision, with clear implications of Han's 'disloyalty and incorrect political stance.'

However, the CCP still referred to him as 'Comrade' during the announcement of his dismissal. Some speculate that his situation may not be serious, while others contend that it is uncertain; even Zhou Yongkang was referred to as 'Comrade' in the announcement of his downfall.

Han Jun is implicated due to his association with Li Ganjie.

Reports suggest that Han Jun is under scrutiny due to his connection with Li Ganjie, as both are being questioned over issues involving their wives.

On platform X, a user named 'Edwin Chiang' disclosed on April 27 that Han Jun's wife is called Yingjie and hails from Liuyang, Changsha, Hunan. Li Ganjie's wife is named Linjie. Han Jun has established ties with both Ma Xingrui and Li Ganjie, making him the first to be implicated... The user seems to imply that Han's relationships with Ma and Li stem from his wife, which is why he is the first person linked to the situation.

Rumours about Han Jun's predicament have been circulating for quite some time. Earlier, there were speculations that he would face a severe demotion, and some reports indicated that he would be dealt with publicly. Han Jun has reportedly cooperated with investigations on several occasions, attempting to shift the blame onto his bold wife.

Independent commentator Cai Shenkun revealed on April 28 on platform X that Han Jun's early resignation likely indicates that his case will not be subject to an investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

However, even if it results in a demotion or early resignation, it does not imply that the situation is stable. There are numerous cases where Chinese Communist Party officials are first announced to be demoted or resign before an investigation is subsequently launched.

Ma Xingrui previously held the position of deputy head of the Central Rural Work Leading Group. From a professional standpoint, his relationship with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs should be quite close. In addition to personal ties, Han likely had significant interactions with the already disgraced Ma Xingrui.

The Strange “Disappearance and Reappearance” of Li Ganjie

As for Xi Jinping’s close ally, Politburo member, Secretariat secretary, and head of the United Front Work Department, Li Ganjie, there were widespread online rumours recently that something had happened to him. On April 11, reports circulated on the X platform claiming that Li had been taken away for investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), drawing close attention from observers. More recently, there were claims that his wife had been summoned by the CCDI for questioning and that she had been involved in selling official positions.

Perhaps in an attempt to dispel these rumours, the Chinese Communist Party deliberately arranged for Li Ganjie to make public appearances. According to Xinhua News Agency, from April 15 to 16, a special seminar was held in Beijing for representatives of the private economy to study and implement the “15th Five-Year Plan” outline and the spirit of the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Li delivered a mobilisation speech. Xinhua also reported that from April 18 to 22, Li visited Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan, and Chengdu. He inspected Tibetan Buddhist temples, reviewed management conditions, and visited the Gansu Buddhist Institute for research.

However, what is unusual is that although Li was said to be conducting local inspections, local party media have remained silent. Government websites in Gansu and Aba Prefecture merely reposted Xinhua reports, and there has been no sign of dedicated on-the-ground coverage by local newspapers or party media. This has raised questions about whether the authorities are deliberately concealing something.

Some netizens joked that Li’s visit to temples was a private trip to pray for safety, and local media dared not report independently for fear of making mistakes. Others pointed out that appearing in public does not necessarily mean safety—many officials have been arrested shortly after giving speeches, even directly from meeting venues. Tang Yijun, former chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial CPPCC, was reportedly taken away straight from a conference.

It’s All the Wife’s Fault

On April 26, Australia-based commentator Jiang Wangzheng posted on X that “Li Ganjie’s wife has already been summoned by the CCDI.” The next day, he posted again: “Important intersections within Beijing’s Second Ring Road are guarded by armed police with live ammunition. Either Standing Committee member Li Xi is about to run into trouble, or action is being taken against Li Ganjie.”

He further alleged that when Ma Xingrui served as Party Secretary of Xinjiang, and earlier as Deputy Party Secretary and Governor of Guangdong, his family frequently collaborated with Li Ganjie’s family. Ma’s wife, Rong Li, and Li’s wife, Lin Ronghua, reportedly referred to each other as sisters and pursued joint business interests—Rong focused on making money, while Lin specialised in selling official positions.

However, none of these claims has been confirmed by Chinese authorities or substantiated by other reliable sources. U.S.-based commentator Li Muyang noted that Li Ganjie served as head of the CCP Organisation Department starting in April 2023, overseeing the appointment and promotion of officials below the ministerial level. Whether his wife engaged in “selling offices” is known only to those involved. If his wife is indeed under investigation and Li cannot protect her, it suggests his own position is precarious. It may also indicate deeper reasons behind his reassignment on April 2, 2025, from the Organisation Department to the United Front Work Department.

The sudden dismissal of Han Jun is also not a positive sign for Li.

With an upcoming Politburo meeting, whether Li Ganjie appears at the meeting may serve as an indicator of his political standing.

The Complexity of CCP Power Struggles

Ahead of the CCP’s 21st Party Congress, factional positioning battles and internal conflicts are intensifying, with relentless infighting among different groups. The anti-corruption campaign has surged to the ministerial level.

Official CCP data show that in the first quarter of 2026, 56 provincial- and ministerial-level officials were disciplined, four times the number in the same period of 2025. A total of 30 such officials were formally investigated, exceeding the combined figures for the same periods in 2025 and 2024. At least 10 officials at the full ministerial level or above have been dealt with. Even the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, typically seen as less lucrative, has become a “cursed zone” in officialdom. Former ministers Sun Zhengcai and Tang Renjian were both investigated and sentenced. Han Jun was appointed minister in 2024 after Tang was investigated.

Because Xi Jinping has not designated a successor, and senior officials are ageing, many are trying to position their own allies for advancement. For the CCP, choosing the “right successor” is critical, tied to the survival of political factions, personal power, and wealth. Previously rumoured successors—Sun Zhengcai is imprisoned, while Hu Chunhua has been sidelined—leaving Xi to continue in power.

The term “successor” has effectively become taboo; anyone labelled as such often sees their political career end. To date, no younger Politburo member has been elevated prominently around Xi for grooming.

The CCP has also deliberately suppressed the promotion of officials born in the 1970s. So far, only six “post-70s” officials have reached full ministerial rank. Meanwhile, trusted allies beyond retirement age are retained in key posts, exacerbating ageing within the leadership and making Xi’s faction a target in internal struggles. What has emerged is an era of mutual political destruction centred on anti-corruption campaigns. The situation is tangled and difficult to unravel—Xi’s attempt to “preserve the Party” may ultimately fail to secure even his own safety.

(First published by People News)