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Missing Chairman Highlights Hidden Risks at Rescued Chinese Bank

Published: Jun. 30, 2026 5:57 p.m. GMT+8

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Huang Yi

The disappearance of a regional bank chairman in southwestern China is casting a renewed spotlight on the governance failures and bad debt risks plaguing the country’s smaller lenders.

Huang Yi, chairman of Sichuan Tianfu Bank Co. Ltd., has become unreachable, sources with knowledge of the matter told Caixin. Caixin’s calls to him went unanswered as of press time.

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Huang Yi, chairman of Sichuan Tianfu Bank, missing amid probe into troubled loans.
Bank had state-led rescue in 2024; former controller Huang Guangwei fled overseas.
Nonperforming loan ratio rose to 2.28% after bailout, exposing risks in city commercial banks.

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Who’s Who

Sichuan Tianfu Bank Co. Ltd.: Sichuan Tianfu Bank Co. Ltd., a regional lender in China, faces leadership turmoil after chairman Huang Yi went missing, reportedly due to an inquiry over bad loans. The bank underwent a state-led rescue in 2024 after aggressive expansion caused its nonperforming loan ratio to reach 2.28% last year.

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What Happened When

2015：: Tianfu Bank's financial health began to deteriorate sharply following years of aggressive expansion.

2024：: A state-led rescue of Sichuan Tianfu Bank occurred, with local state-owned enterprises recapitalizing the bank; former de facto controller Huang Guangwei reportedly fled overseas with his family.