Vice Chairman of Hainan Legislature Probed for Corruption

Liu Xingtai, vice chairman of Hainan province’s legislature and deputy secretary of its top Communist Party body, is under investigation for suspected corruption by China’s top anti-corruption agency, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The investigative announcement, made Wednesday, did not disclose specific details regarding Liu’s suspected misconduct, only mentioning "serious violations of discipline and law," a common term used to refer to corruption. Liu previously served as Hainan's vice governor and chief of its political and legal affairs commission. His last public appearance was on May 6, but he was notably absent from a provincial legislature meeting held on Monday, as reported by the legislature. [para. 1][para. 2][para. 3]

Liu, 61, started his career in Shandong province, East China, where he progressed from being an agricultural machinery technician to the chief of Wudi county over two decades. During his career, he held positions such as mayor and party chief of Rizhao city and deputy chief of the organization department of Shandong’s provincial party committee. In 2018, Liu was transferred to Hainan, where he briefly served as vice-governor before being appointed deputy secretary of the provincial people’s congress standing committee in April 2022. [para. 4][para. 5]

The probe into Liu follows the investigation and subsequent expulsion from the party of Liu Cheng, a former subordinate involved in the Hainan party committee’s political and legal affairs commission, signaling a broader scrutiny within the province's political structure. Liu Cheng was investigated for graft in May 2022 and was expelled in November of the same year. [para. 6]

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