Ex-Senior Official in North China Heads to Trial for Bribery
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A former senior official in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region is standing trial for bribery, amid an intensifying anti-corruption drive in the key industrial hub.
Wang Zhonghe is accused of illegally accepting “especially large” bribes and offering payments to other officials in exchange for improper benefits, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the country’s top prosecutor.
The charges stem from a career spanning over two decades, during which he held a string of powerful posts across the region, including Communist Party chief of the cities of Chifeng and Baotou.
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- Wang Zhonghe, a former senior official in Inner Mongolia, is on trial for taking large bribes and offering payments to other officials.
- He held key posts over two decades, including party chief of Chifeng and Baotou; several predecessors and colleagues were also convicted for similar crimes.
- Wang was expelled from the Communist Party in July 2023 and accused of multiple serious offenses during China’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign.
- 1981：
- Wang Zhonghe began his political career in Chifeng.
- February 2008：
- Wang Zhonghe was appointed mayor of Chifeng, succeeding Xu Guoyuan.
- 2013：
- Wang Zhonghe was promoted to the regional party standing committee and appointed party secretary of Baotou.
- 2022：
- Ma Ming, former vice chairman of Inner Mongolia's top political advisory body, was sentenced to life in prison for bribery.
- 2022：
- Li Jia, former chairman of Inner Mongolia’s top political advisory body, was demoted for disciplinary violations.
- August 2022：
- Wang Lixia, then-regional government chairwoman, came under investigation.
- After late 2022：
- Wang Zhonghe became the third high-ranking official in Inner Mongolia to fall from grace since late 2022.
- February 2025：
- Wang Zhonghe was placed under investigation for corruption.
- July 2025：
- The party’s top graft watchdog announced Wang Zhonghe had been expelled from the Communist Party.
- October 2025：
- Wang Bo, former vice chairman of Inner Mongolia, received a suspended death sentence for taking bribes worth over 449 million yuan.
- 2025-11-12：
- The Supreme People’s Procuratorate released a statement about Wang Zhonghe’s bribery trial.
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