On Tuesday, the Chinese Communist Party expelled Ma Xingrui, accusing him of corruption and abusing his power for personal gains. Ma, once the party secretary for the Xinjiang region, is now the third member of the Politburo to face removal as part of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign targeting high-ranking officials.
Ma’s expulsion marks a significant fall from power. He was considered a promising leader in China’s political landscape, having a background as an engineer and scientist. His removal indicates the most significant purge from the Politburo since Deng Xiaoping established the governing rules in the 1980s. The Politburo, after the expulsions of He Weidong and Zhang Youxia, now consists of 21 members.
Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London, commented, “It used to be that if you reached the rank of Politburo, it required something very serious to face removal. This has changed under Xi, with Politburo members now being removed more frequently.” Xi’s actions send a message to other leaders to adhere strictly to his directives.