A Politburo member in China has been expelled from the Communist Party for corruption — The Guardian
In China, Politburo member Ma Xingrui has been expelled from the Communist Party after being accused of corruption and abuse of power. Analysts believe this marks a new phase in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign, which is becoming increasingly stringent.
Ma Xingrui, who previously served as secretary of the Communist Party in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, had been under investigation since April 2026 on suspicion of “serious violations of discipline and the law.”
According to China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the official used his position to promote others to positions of authority, illegally accepted gifts and bribes, and facilitated the enrichment of relatives and associates.
As the publication notes, Ma Xinzhui became the third member of the Politburo to be removed from office since 2022, but the first civilian high-ranking official to be caught up in the current wave of anti-corruption purges.
Historian Joseph Torigian emphasized that there has not been a similar removal of a civilian member of the Politburo since the arrest of the “Gang of Four” following Mao Zedong’s death in 1976.
Experts believe that the Ma Xinjue case signals a shift in Xi Jinping’s approach to fighting corruption. Whereas previously repression was directed mainly at political opponents or disloyal officials, now corruption charges alone are sufficient to trigger harsh measures.
Before embarking on his political career, 67-year-old Ma Xinjue worked in the aerospace industry, oversaw China’s large-scale space programs, and later served as governor of Guangdong Province and head of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Analysts do not rule out that the current wave of personnel purges could extend to other Chinese officials associated with him.
This is reported by The Guardian.
As a reminder, China has accused an American nuclear test researcher of espionage.
In Russia, a former Red Cross employee had his sentence increased to 14 years in a treason case.
