Former Zhejiang Party Chief Placed Under Investigation for Corruption

1. A senior Chinese official, Yi Lianhong, who previously oversaw Zhejiang province—a key hub in China’s private sector—has been placed under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law,” which is a common euphemism for corruption. This was announced on Tuesday by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission. Yi is currently the deputy chairperson of the Financial and Economic Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC). He is the 12th senior, centrally managed official to be placed under investigation in 2026, and his case follows probes into other prominent figures such as Tian Xuebin and Li Xu, demonstrating the continued intensity of China’s anti-corruption “tiger hunt.”[para. 1][para. 2][para. 3]

2. Yi Lianhong was born in 1959 in Hunan province and began his career as a “sent-down youth” during the Cultural Revolution. After the resumption of China’s college entrance exams, he studied political science and later obtained a master’s degree in political economy. Yi spent 17 years at Hunan Provincial Party School, eventually becoming executive vice president. He was recognized for his research on agriculture and economics and for publicizing his warning against inefficient urbanization.[para. 4][para. 5]

3. In 2004, Yi transitioned to government as party secretary of Yueyang in Hunan. He led the rapid expansion of the Yueyang Tower scenic area, overseeing the relocation of over 1,300 households. Events during his tenure came under later scrutiny, especially as several of his former colleagues and subordinates, such as Peng Guofu, were later convicted of significant corruption—Peng alone being sentenced to a suspended death sentence for taking more than 134 million yuan ($18.6 million) in bribes. This pattern of officials associated with Yi later facing graft charges recurred in his subsequent posts.[para. 6][para. 7]

4. Yi cultivated an image of integrity, quoting poetry about honesty and inviting public scrutiny during his tenure as party secretary of Changsha. However, his reputation was challenged as associates fell under corruption investigations. His own public declarations of probity attracted irony as the anti-graft net spread to those around him.[para. 8]

5. Yi’s career advanced as he moved across provinces: party secretary of Shenyang, Liaoning; then deputy party secretary of Liaoning; and later governor and party secretary of Jiangxi. In Jiangxi, he spoke out against business obstruction and bribery, launching campaigns to improve the business environment. Yet, toleration or oversight issues were suggested as prominent figures from his Jiangxi administration, including Yin Meigen and Hu Qiang, were later investigated and sentenced for corruption offenses. Yi is now the second former Jiangxi party secretary to be investigated, following Su Rong.[para. 9][para. 10]

6. After the 20th Party Congress in 2022, Yi reached the apex of his career as party secretary of Zhejiang, an economically important and innovative region. He initiated three “Number One Projects” focusing on the digital economy and sought to push Zhejiang’s digital-economy value past 7 trillion yuan by 2027. However, the province continued to see high-profile corruption cases, including the investigation and sentencing of vice governor Zhu Congjiu. Yi himself faced rumors regarding the employment of family members in the finance sector, further contributing to suspicions.[para. 11][para. 12][para. 13]

7. Yi was suddenly removed as Zhejiang party secretary in October 2024, giving a notably emotional farewell and expressing regrets over unfinished work. He was reassigned to the NPC’s Financial and Economic Committee—a move often regarded as pre-retirement or sometimes a holding position pending investigation.[para. 14]

8. The investigation against Yi comes amid heightened scrutiny by central authorities, with a new round of inspections launched in April 2025 targeting 15 provinces, including those where Yi previously held positions. With Yi, a total of 24 members of the 20th Central Committee have been investigated, and he is the third full provincial-ministerial rank official to be investigated in 2026. Since the 18th Party Congress, at least 16 officials who have served as provincial party secretaries have been purged, emphasizing the relentless nature of China’s anti-corruption campaign.[para. 15]