A source close to the CCP leadership says the former Politburo member’s downfall was driven by political disloyalty, not corruption, and may be linked to a power struggle ahead of the 2027 Party Congress.
Former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Politburo member Ma Xingrui has been prosecuted on bribery charges. But according to an exclusive report by The Epoch Times, the real reason for his downfall was far more politically explosive: Ma joined a private gathering of senior CCP and military officials who discussed who should succeed Xi Jinping if the Chinese leader suddenly became incapacitated.
The discussion took place during a period when Xi was experiencing health problems. Among those involved were Zhang Youxia, then the top-ranking vice chairman of the Central Military Commission; Li Ganjie, a senior CCP official; and Zhong Shaojun, a former longtime aide to Xi who later held a senior position in the military.
The conversation was monitored and reported to Xi, triggering a political crackdown.
"His arrest was mainly a political matter," a source close to the CCP leadership told The Epoch Times. "He didn't get into trouble because he was transferring benefits to the leadership."
The source, identified by the pseudonym Tang Ming, said Ma had long maintained business and political ties with Xi's family and that of Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan. In Tang's assessment, Ma's corruption was tolerated until he crossed a political red line.
A Secret Meeting That Crossed Xi Jinping's Red Line
On November 5, Chinese prosecutors announced that Ma would face bribery charges, accusing him of abusing his positions over many years to secure benefits for others in exchange for large sums of money.
Comments