As Beijing’s Deputy Mayor Falls From Grace, Speculation Swirls Around the Investigation

One theory involves a mysterious black sedan spotted near the CCP’s leadership compound in March.

(L-R) Former Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Xu Qiliang, former Vice Premier Liu He and Beijing Communist Party Secretary Yin Li attend the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on March 13, 2023. Noel Celis/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Beijing’s deputy mayor is under investigation after being office for just one year. Party officials in the city were quick to reiterate their unwavering support for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its handling of the case, leading analysts to speculate that Gao Peng’s fall may be more than simply a matter of corruption.

At an April 22 meeting, Yin Li,  Standing Committee head for the Beijing Municipal Party Committee, stressed the city authority’s strong support for the Central Committee’s handling of the deputy mayor’s case. He requested that officials at all levels “maintain a high degree of ideological, political and operational consistency with the Party Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core.”