Former Jinan Deputy Mayor Expelled from Party, Office
Xie Kun, former deputy mayor and Party leadership group member of Jinan City in Shandong Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party and removed from public office for serious disciplinary violations, including bribery and power-for-money deals, according to an announcement from the Shandong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection on August 3.
The investigation, conducted with approval from the Shandong Provincial Party Committee, found that Xie committed serious violations of political, integrity, and life discipline, constituting serious duty violations and suspected bribery crimes. The case has been transferred to procuratorial organs for review and prosecution.
Investigation Timeline
Xie was first placed under disciplinary review and supervisory investigation on March 2, 2026, after being accused of “serious disciplinary and legal violations.” The Xinhua News Agency reported the initial announcement, which came as a surprise given Xie’s relatively recent appointment to the deputy mayor position in November 2023.
Following the announcement, the Jinan Municipal Government Party Group held an emergency meeting on the same day. Mayor Yu Haitian chaired the session, which expressed firm support for the investigation. The Jinan Daily reported that the meeting characterized the probe as demonstrating “the Provincial Party Committee’s firm determination to advance the anti-corruption struggle.”
On April 23, 2026, the 31st session of the 18th Jinan Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee formally removed Xie from his position as deputy mayor.
Alleged Violations
The official announcement detailed a range of violations, including:
- Losing ideals and beliefs, betraying original aspirations, and resisting organizational review
- Violating the Central Eight-Point Regulation by improperly accepting gifts, money, and consumer cards
- Improperly borrowing money from management and service targets and lending money to them for large returns
- Having others reimburse expenses that should have been paid personally
- Turning public power into a tool for personal gain through power-for-money transactions
- Using his position to benefit others in project contracting and project fund applications, illegally accepting huge amounts of property
A key aggravating factor noted in the announcement was that Xie did not stop or restrain his activities after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party, a standard reference in Chinese anti-corruption cases indicating continued misconduct despite heightened scrutiny.
Punishments Imposed
The disciplinary actions include expulsion from the Communist Party, removal from public office, termination of his status as delegate to the 12th Shandong Provincial Party Congress and 12th Jinan Municipal Party Congress, confiscation of disciplinary and illegal gains, and transfer of the case to prosecutors with related assets.
Career Background
Xie Kun, born in May 1973, spent his entire career in Jinan. His trajectory included serving as deputy director of the Jinan Development and Reform Commission, district mayor of Shizhong District, director of the Jinan Development and Reform Commission, and director of the Jinan National Defense Mobilization Office before his appointment as deputy mayor in November 2023.
As deputy mayor, Xie oversaw science and technology, industry and information technology, human resources and social security, market supervision, and administrative approval services, with oversight of the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, power supply companies, and major telecom operators.
Broader Anti-Corruption Context
Xie’s case is part of a wider pattern of anti-corruption enforcement in Shandong Province. In 2025, the province’s disciplinary inspection agencies received 158,606 petition letters and visits, filed 44,934 cases, and disciplined 44,745 people, according to provincial statistics.
Notably, Xie is not the only former Jinan deputy mayor to face expulsion this year. Jiao Weixing, another former deputy mayor and former Party Secretary of Laiwu District, was also expelled from the Party and removed from public office on February 25, 2026, for similar violations including bribery and power-for-money deals, as reported by China News Service.
The “double expulsion” (shuang kai) procedure applied to Xie represents one of the most severe disciplinary punishments in China’s anti-corruption system, typically reserved for officials found to have committed serious violations constituting criminal offenses. The transfer to procuratorial organs signals that criminal prosecution is expected to follow.
What to Watch
The case now moves to the judicial phase, where prosecutors will determine formal charges. Given the severity of the allegations and the pattern of similar cases in the province, observers will be watching for the outcome of the criminal proceedings and whether the case prompts further investigations within Jinan’s municipal government.