Former State Grid Chairman Under Probe Amid China's Anti-Graft Campaign - Vision Times
Xin's investigation further expands the ranks of senior officials ensnared in Beijing's sweeping anti-corruption campaign, underscoring the CCP's continuing purge of influential figures across state-owned enterprises
On July 31, China’s top anti-corruption watchdog announced it had placed Xin Baoan, the former chairman of the State Grid Corporation of China,under investigationfor “serious violations of discipline and law,” the standard phrase Chinese authorities use when announcing corruption probes. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) did not disclose further details about the allegations. Xin, 65, spent decades rising through China’s state-owned power industry,serving in senior positionsat China Huadian before becoming general manager and later chairman of State Grid, the world’s largest utility company. He stepped down as chairman in 2024 after overseeing one of China’s most strategically important state-owned enterprises, whose transmission network supplies electricity across most of the country. State Grid is central to Beijing’s energy and industrial strategy. The company operates power transmission and distribution networks spanning 26 provincial-level regions and has consistently ranked among the world’s largest corporations by revenue. RELATED:Former Xinjiang Party Chief Ma Xingrui Sacked From CCP Ahead of BeidaiheInvestigation follows overseas tripThe official announcement came shortly after Xin participated in public events in both the United States and China. Political commentator Cai Shenkun, citing inside sources,claimed Xinhad recently led a delegation to New York for energy-related events before returning to Beijing, where he was allegedly taken away by CCDI investigators. Cai also said Xin had continued attending official meetings only days before the investigation was announced. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERFor the best of our weekly content！There is something wrong, please try again laterSuccessYou are now signed up for our newsletterSuccessCheck your email to complete sign upOther Chinese commentators and analysts have also speculated that Xin’s investigation could involve projects in Xinjiang or alleged personnel dealings linked to other officials already under investigation. Those allegations likewise remain unverified. Following the announcement, discussion on Chinese-language social media quickly turned to rumors linking Xin to the death of popular Chinese actor Yu Menglong. Yu died after mysteriously falling from a high-rise building in Beijing on Sept. 11, 2025. Authorities closed the case within 24 hours, ruling it an “accidental fall” following a “night of heavy drinking. ” But a growing number of industry peers, fans, and human rights’ advocateshave calledfor an independent investigation, citing the suspicious circumstances surrounding Yu’s death and the government’s swift suppression of the case. Online speculation has also alleged that an individual known as “Xin Qi,” who has been mentioned in connection with claims surrounding Yu’s death, is Xin Baoan’s adopted son. Purge of state-owned enterprisesRather than pointing to any single incident, Xin’s investigation fits abroader patternof Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign targeting senior officials across China’s government, financial system, military, and state-owned enterprises. RELATED:Pastor Ezra Jin Recounts Secretive Release After 10 Months in Chinese DetentionIn recent months, Beijing hasannounced investigationsinto a growing number of high-ranking officials, including senior executives in finance, banking, energy, and provincial governments. Analysts have increasingly viewed the campaign as serving not only anti-corruption objectives but also reinforcing political discipline and centralizing authority under Xi’s leadership. The timing has also drawn attention. China’s Communist Party (CCP) recently confirmed that the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee will convene later this year, while preparations are expected to intensify ahead of the 21st Party Congress in 2027, a politically significant period that observers say often coincides with personnel reshuffling and heightened internal discipline. Commentators have argued that the latest investigation reflects the CCP’s growing emphasis on political loyalty over administrative or technical credentials. Some China analysts have also described the case as another sign that officials who advanced under previous policy priorities are increasingly vulnerable as Beijing shifts its focus from economic development toward more centralized security and risk controls. Editorial note:This article includes publicly-circulating reports and commentary from independent analysts. The claims described have not been independently verified by Vision Times, and relevant authorities have not publicly confirmed the allegations.