Another ICBC Executive Vanishes Amid Widening Anti-Graft Probe
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A senior executive at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the country’s largest state-owned lender, has vanished amid an expansive anti-graft drive shaking the nation’s financial system, fueling speculation that authorities are widening a corruption probe surrounding fallen financial titan Yi Huiman.
Tao Biao, who heads ICBC’s Yunnan provincial branch, has been unreachable for several days, according to people familiar with the matter. Repeated calls and messages to his phone from Caixin have gone unanswered since Monday. Authorities have yet to confirm his status.
Tao’s last known public appearance was on Sept. 13, when he gave an opening address at the Yunnan Financial Education Publicity Week event hosted by his branch in Kunming.
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- Tao Biao, head of ICBC’s Yunnan branch, has gone missing amid a broad anti-corruption crackdown, fueling speculation about a widening probe tied to ex-chairman Yi Huiman.
- Tao’s disappearance follows similar investigations or exits involving other ICBC executives, especially in Zhejiang and Yunnan branches.
- Multiple senior ICBC figures with ties to Yi have come under official scrutiny since the launch of a corruption investigation into Yi two months ago.
- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
- Senior executive Tao Biao of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the largest state-owned lender, has vanished amid an anti-graft campaign. Tao, who heads ICBC's Yunnan provincial branch, has been unreachable for several days, raising speculation of a widening corruption probe connected to former chairman Yi Huiman. Several other ICBC executives with ties to Yi have also come under scrutiny.
- 1980s：
- Tao Biao began his banking career at an ICBC branch in Cangnan county.
- 2013：
- Yi Huiman was appointed president of ICBC.
- After 2013 and before 2021：
- Tao Biao rotated through senior roles at ICBC branches in Jiaxing, Wenzhou, and Ningbo.
- 2021：
- Tao Biao was promoted to head the ICBC Xiamen branch.
- 2022：
- Jiang Yulin, predecessor of Xu Hai at ICBC's Yunnan branch, was investigated.
- Roughly six months after 2022 investigation：
- Jiang Yulin died.
- Mid-2022：
- Tao Biao took the helm of ICBC’s Yunnan provincial branch.
- May 2025：
- Shen Rongqin, former chief of ICBC’s Zhejiang branch, was placed under investigation.
- June 2025：
- Xu Hai, who led ICBC’s Yunnan branch from 2010 to 2016, turned himself in to authorities.
- September 13, 2025：
- Tao Biao made his last known public appearance at the Yunnan Financial Education Publicity Week event in Kunming.
- After September 13, 2025 and before November 10, 2025：
- Tao Biao became unreachable and his whereabouts became unknown.
- By Monday, November 10, 2025：
- Tao Biao, head of ICBC’s Yunnan provincial branch, has been unreachable for several days; repeated calls and messages to his phone from Caixin have gone unanswered.
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