A former senior executive of CNPC, retired, is under investigation on suspicion of accepting massive bribes.

The online rumor that the former CNPC chairman was suspected of accepting bribes totaling 900 billion RMB has trended on social media. As ordinary citizens, most of us cannot truly grasp what 900 billion RMB means—so let’s put it into perspective: that sum could fund the construction of 3.6 Three Gorges Dams, 18 Fujian-class aircraft carriers, 150 Type 055 guided-missile destroyers, or 1,500 J-20 fighter jets. If this allegation were true, he might well be dubbed the most corrupt official in Chinese history—even Heshen, the infamous Qing-dynasty corrupt official, would reportedly have no choice but to concede defeat! Some people accumulate 900 billion RMB over a lifetime; meanwhile, ordinary people struggle immensely just to repay a personal debt of 900,000 RMB over their entire lives! How, then, can we ensure those in power remain incorruptible—and how can indebted individuals legitimately and sustainably escape debt through hard work? That is what we truly hope for, isn’t it? A timid question: Could one person really pull off such colossal corruption alone?

Breaking News! 118 'oil tigers' from China’s ‘Big Three Oil Companies’ have been taken down.

In the ongoing anti-corruption campaign, 118 'oil tigers' have been exposed and investigated. Wang Yilin, former chairman of CNPC, colluded with political fraudsters; Chen Tonghai set a new record with nearly 200 million RMB in bribes accepted; Jiang Jiemin abused his authority, causing major losses to state interests. Shortly after news broke that Yang Shunyi, former general manager of PetroChina Gansu Sales Company, was under investigation, the disciplinary inspection and supervision commission in Jiangsu Province announced the investigation into Tong Focai, former general manager of PetroChina Jiangsu Sales Company. Meanwhile, two officials from Sinopec’s sales system—one each from Hebei and Shanghai—were also investigated in quick succession. Since November 2025, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission (NSC) have released multiple newly uncovered cases involving the ‘Big Three Oil Companies’. 01. Grave Situation According to the latest data as of February 8, 2026, a total of 118 individuals from China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)—collectively known as the ‘Big Three Oil Companies’—have been investigated and punished for violations of discipline and law. Compared to the figures from November last year, seven additional cases have been added—all from CNPC and Sinopec. Specifically, CNPC added four cases, bringing its total to 67; Sinopec added three, reaching 31; and CNOOC’s count remained unchanged at 20. At the level of top-tier leadership—including both principal and deputy positions—CNPC’s number of implicated executives significantly exceeds those of the other two companies. Among the seven principal-level executives of the parent companies, CNPC accounts for three; among the fifteen deputy-level executives, CNPC alone accounts for nine. This stark disparity underscores the continued severity of corruption within the petroleum sector—particularly at CNPC, which has become the hardest-hit ‘epicenter’. 02. Representative Cases Jiang Jiemin: Former director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) and former chairman of CNPC, Jiang was the first full Central Committee member to be investigated and removed from office after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. In October 2015, he was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment for bribery, possession of unexplained large assets, and abuse of authority by personnel of state-owned companies. The court found that between 2004 and 2008, Jiang, acting under instructions from others, violated regulations to facilitate others’ business operations, resulting in especially grave losses to state interests. Wang Yilin: Former party secretary and chairman of CNPC, Wang was placed under investigation in February 2024 and, in May 2025, sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment for accepting bribes totaling 35.01 million RMB. His case stands out due to his long-term association with and exploitation by political fraudsters. As revealed in the documentary series *Anti-Corruption for the People*, Wang treated the political fraudster Zhou Xianming as an honored guest and allowed him to interfere in cadre appointments—severely undermining CNPC’s political ecosystem. Su Shulin: Former governor of Fujian Province and former general manager of Sinopec Group, Su was sentenced in July 2018 to 16 years’ imprisonment for bribery and abuse of authority by personnel of state-owned enterprises. His corrupt conduct was highly emblematic: he had his younger brother collect illicit gains on his behalf, treated the state-owned enterprise as his ‘private bank’, and even reimbursed personal expenses through company accounts. When online reports about his misconduct surfaced, his first instinct was to delete the posts—not to cease his violations. Chen Tonghai: Former chairman of Sinopec Group, Chen set the ‘sky-high’ benchmark for corruption cases in the oil industry. Between 1999 and 2007, he accepted bribes totaling over 195.73 million RMB. In July 2009, the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court convicted him of bribery and sentenced him to death with a two-year reprieve.

Former PetroChina Gas Sales Branch GM Qian Zhijia Under Investigation

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The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced that Qian Zhijia, former General Manager of PetroChina's Gas Sales Branch and ex-CEO of Kunlun Energy, is under investigation. He resigned from Kunlun Energy in January 2026 prior to this announcement.

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Former PetroChina Gas Sales Branch GM Qian Zhijia Under Investigation

Former PetroChina Gas Sales Branch GM Qian Zhijia Under Investigation

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