Inner Mongolia Official Feng Yuzhen Under Investigation for Corruption
Feng Yuzhen, Director of the Finance and Economic Affairs Committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People’s Congress, is under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and law, according to an announcement by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Commission for Discipline Inspection on August 15, 2026. The announcement, published on the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) website and reported by Xinhua News, confirms that Feng is currently undergoing disciplinary review and supervisory investigation.
Background and Career
Feng Yuzhen, born in July 1963 in Helinger County, Inner Mongolia, began his career in 1980 as a teacher before entering government service. Over a four-decade career, he held senior positions across multiple key cities in the autonomous region, including serving as Governor of Alxa League, Mayor of Hohhot, and Party Secretary of Tongliao City. According to Wikipedia, he was also elected as a deputy to the 12th and 13th National People’s Congress from Inner Mongolia.
His career trajectory took a notable turn in 2021 when he was transferred from his position as Tongliao Party Secretary to serve as Deputy Director of the Finance and Economic Affairs Committee of the Inner Mongolia People’s Congress. He was subsequently appointed Director of the Legal Affairs Committee in January 2022 and became Director of the Finance and Economic Affairs Committee in January 2023, a position he held until his investigation.
Connection to Convicted Predecessor
The investigation carries particular significance given Feng’s career parallels with Li Jiexiang, his predecessor in two key positions. Feng succeeded Li as Mayor of Hohhot in 2017 and again as Party Secretary of Tongliao in December 2019, a transition documented by Sina News.
Li Jiexiang was investigated in April 2022 while serving as a member of the Qinghai Provincial Party Standing Committee and was sentenced to life imprisonment in February 2024 for accepting bribes totaling over 88.23 million yuan (approximately US$12.2 million). His corruption case was linked to using state-owned mineral resources for political transactions, and his downfall was connected to Inner Mongolia’s extensive anti-corruption campaign targeting the coal and energy sector.
Broader Anti-Corruption Campaign in Inner Mongolia
Feng’s investigation is the latest development in a sweeping anti-corruption campaign that has made Inner Mongolia one of the most heavily targeted regions in China. Since February 2020, the region has conducted a “retroactive 20-year investigation” into coal resource-related corruption, resulting in nearly 1,000 people being investigated and over 40 billion yuan recovered.
The campaign has ensnared several of the region’s most senior officials. Former Inner Mongolia Party Secretary Sun Shaocheng was investigated in January 2026, becoming the first provincial/ministerial-level official to fall that year, as reported by UDN Economic Daily. Former chairwoman Wang Lixia was investigated in August 2025. Yun Guangzhong, a former Hohhot Party Secretary, fell in June 2019.
Analysis and Implications
Feng’s investigation comes approximately six months after Sun Shaocheng’s fall, following a pattern in which senior Inner Mongolia officials have been investigated after transitioning to less prominent roles. His career in resource-rich areas—including Wuhai, Alxa, Hohhot, and Tongliao—parallels the career paths of other investigated officials, raising questions about potential connections to the energy sector corruption that has defined the region’s political scandals.
The investigation also highlights the continuing intensity of China’s anti-corruption campaign under President Xi Jinping, which has been ongoing since 2012. In 2026 alone, multiple significant officials have been investigated, including Sun Shaocheng and senior military figures.
What to Watch For
As the disciplinary review and supervisory investigation proceeds, several questions remain unanswered: What specific allegations are being investigated? Will the investigation expand to include other officials connected to Feng? And what connection, if any, exists between Feng’s case and the investigations of Sun Shaocheng and Wang Lixia?
Given Li Jiexiang’s conviction for corruption involving state-owned mineral resources, observers will be watching closely to see whether similar allegations emerge against Feng. The outcome of this investigation could provide further insight into the depth of systemic corruption in Inner Mongolia’s political leadership and the continuing reach of China’s anti-corruption enforcement.