China minister behind country’s tech superpower status missing for 2 months: Report

The minister behind China’s tech revolution has been missing in action for two months. Jin Zhuanglong, the Chinese minister of industry and information technology has not either been seen in public or attended important government meetings since the end of December.

According to a report by the Financial Times, before going missing, Jin held meetings, spoke at news conferences as well as toured with the Chinese Premier Li Qiang at regular intervals.

Jin’s absence from the public eye could be due to personal reasons or other factors. However, in the past, prolonged and unaccounted-for disappearances of Chinese officials have often signalled involvement in an anti-corruption probe.

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Is Jin on anti-graft watchdog’s radar?

Four people familiar with Jin’s sudden disappearance told FT that he might be investigated under anti-graft charges.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has overseen a wide-ranging campaign against official corruption since coming to power just over a decade ago, with critics saying it also serves as a way to purge political rivals.

The country’s anti-graft watchdog apprehended 889,000 officials last year, a rise of 46 per cent from the previous year and the most in a decade.

Who is Jin?

Jin gained recognition during his five-year tenure as chairman of state-owned aircraft manufacturer Comac, where he played a key role in advancing the development of the C919, China’s first domestically produced passenger jet. His leadership in the aviation sector cemented his reputation as a capable industry figure.

Following his success at Comac, Jin was appointed deputy director of China’s central military-civil fusion office. In 2022, he was promoted to minister of industry and technology, stepping into the role after his predecessor, Xiao Yaqing, was removed amid an anti-corruption investigation.

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Where was he last seen?

The information ministry’s records show that Jin’s last public appearance was on December 27 when he chaired a meeting to praise Xi’s new industrialisation ethos.

Following this event, the minister missed meeting top officials in January and another one where he was supposed to meet the State Council in February.