Li Wenxi (; born March 1950) is a retired Chinese politician who spent his entire career in his home-province

Liaoning ) , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = Clockwise: Mukden Palace in Shenyang, Xinghai Square in Dalian, Dalian coast, Yalu River at Dandong , image_map = Liaoning in China (+all claims hatched).svg , ...

. As of January 2021 he was under investigation by China's top anti-corruption agency. He has retired for eight years, prior to that, he served as vice chairman of the Liaoning Provincial Committee of the

Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China and a central part of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s United front (China), united front system. Its members adv ...

from 2008 to 2013 and head of from 2002 to 2011. He is the first leader of provincial-ministerial level to be targeted by China's top anticorruption watchdog in 2021.

Career

Li was born in Benxi County,

, in March 1950. He entered the workforce in June 1969, and joined the

Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...

in May 1972. In February 1990 he became deputy magistrate of Benxi County. In November 1992 he became the deputy head of Benxi Municipal Public Security Bureau, rising to head and party chief in April 1994. He concurrently served as vice mayor in May 1996. In January 2000 he was transferred to

Shenyang Shenyang,; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ; formerly known as Fengtian formerly known by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a sub-provincial city in China and the list of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Liaonin ...

, capital of Liaoning province, and appointed deputy head and deputy party chief of . Two years later, he was elevated to head and party chief. He held the head position for almost nine years. In January 2008 he concurrently served as vice chairman of the Liaoning Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He retired in January 2013.

Downfall

On January 25, 2021, he was put under investigation for alleged "serious violations of discipline and laws" by the

Central Commission for Discipline Inspection The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) is the highest supervisory organ of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCDI is elected and supervised by the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, CCP National Congress. ...

(CCDI), the party's internal disciplinary body, and the

National Supervisory Commission The National Supervisory Commission is the highest supervisory and anti-corruption authority of the People's Republic of China. Formed in 2018 by an 2018 amendment to the Constitution of China, amendment to the Constitution of China, Constitut ...

, the highest anti-corruption agency of China. His younger brother, Li Wen'an (), once demanded a local entrepreneur Yuan Chengjia () for the mining right of a mineral resources. Before he stepped down, his subordinates, Wang Like (deputy head of Liaoning Provincial Public Security Department), Bai Yuexian (; deputy head of Liaoning Provincial Public Security Department), and Zhang Dewei (; chief of Food and Drug Crime Investigation Team), were caught up in Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign in 2020. On 26 July 2021, he was expelled from the Communist Party and his retirement benefits was abolished. Li's illegal gains will be confiscated and his case transferred to the judiciary. On 6 January 2023, Li was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by the

Tai'an Tai'an () is a prefecture-level city in Western Shandong Province of the People's Republic of China. Centered on Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng ...

Intermediate People's Court for taking bribes exceeding 540 million yuan, his political rights for life was revoked and the confiscation of all his property was ordered. After the reprieve, Li's sentence will be commuted to life in prison without parole. The ill-gotten gains will be confiscated and handed over to the state treasury.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Wenxi 1950 births Living people People from Benxi Chinese Academy of Social Sciences alumni People's Republic of China politicians from Liaoning Chinese Communist Party politicians from Liaoning