In Profile: How a State Aviation Giant’s Ex-Chief Amassed $101 Million in Ill-Gotten Gains
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Tan Ruisong, former chairman and Communist Party chief of Aviation Industry Corporation of China, was handed a suspended death sentence by a court in the northeastern city of Dalian on Wednesday. Photo: IC Photo
A Chinese court detailed how a former head of a state-owned aviation giant in China leveraged control over projects, deals and market-sensitive information to accumulate more than 700 million yuan ($101 million) in illicit gains.
Tan Ruisong, former chairman and Communist Party chief of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), was handed a suspended death sentence by a court in the northeastern city of Dalian on Wednesday. He was convicted of embezzlement, bribery, insider trading and illegally disclosing inside information.
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- Tan Ruisong, former AVIC chairman, was given a suspended death sentence for embezzlement, bribery, insider trading, and leaking information, involving over 700 million yuan ($101 million).
- The case highlights intensified Chinese scrutiny of corruption in critical state sectors like defense and aerospace, with broad implications for AVIC and its subsidiaries.
- Tan cooperated with investigators and returned illicit gains; AVIC has since seen significant leadership changes and increased regulatory attention.
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Who’s Who
- Aviation Industry Corporation of China
- Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is a state-owned defense conglomerate. Its former chairman and Communist Party chief, Tan Ruisong, received a suspended death sentence for corruption offenses, including bribery and insider trading. AVIC has over 100 subsidiaries and assets exceeding one trillion yuan, playing a significant role in China's defense and aerospace sectors.
- AVIC Trust Co. Ltd.
- AVIC Trust Co. Ltd. had its former chairman, Yao Jiangtao, and former deputy general manager, Wei Yinghui, placed under investigation in March 2023. These probes occurred in the same month that Tan Ruisong, the former chairman of AVIC, stepped down.
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What Happened When
- 2008：
- Tan Ruisong became AVIC's deputy general manager.
- 2008 to 2023：
- AVIC carried out dozens of mergers and asset injections through listed subsidiaries under Tan’s tenure.
- 2012：
- Tan Ruisong was promoted to general manager of AVIC.
- 2015：
- During China’s stock market turmoil, AVIC, led by Tan, organized efforts to support share prices of affiliated listed companies.
- 2018：
- Tan Ruisong became chairman of AVIC.
- March 16, 2023：
- China’s top graft buster announced probes into Yao Jiangtao and Wei Yinghui, both officials within the AVIC system.
- March 2023：
- Tan Ruisong stepped down as chairman and Communist Party chief of AVIC.
- 2023：
- Leadership change at AVIC, officially attributed to retirement rules.
- 2024：
- Tan Ruisong was placed under investigation for 'serious violations of discipline and law.'
- March 25, 2026：
- Tan Ruisong was handed a suspended death sentence by a court in Dalian, China.
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