Sun Zhigang (Chinese: 孙志刚; born 30 May 1954) is a former Chinese politician who was Communist Party Secretary of Guizhou. He was formerly mayor of Yichang, the secretary-general of the Hubei party committee under Yu Zhengsheng, the Vice-Governor of Anhui province, and chief of the national office for health care reform.

Sun Zhigang
孙志刚
Communist Party Secretary of Guizhou
In office
July 2017 – November 2020
DeputyShen Yiqin (party affairs)
Preceded byChen Min'er
Succeeded byShen Yiqin
Governor of Guizhou
In office
October 2015 – September 2017
Preceded byChen Min'er
Succeeded byShen Yiqin
Personal details
Born (1954-05-30) 30 May 1954 (age 70)
Xingyang, Henan, China
Political partyChinese Communist Party (1976–2024; expelled)
Alma materWuhan Institute of Metallurgy
Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinSūn Zhìgāng

Early life and career in academia

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Sun Zhigang was born in May 1954 in Xingyang, Henan. He joined the work force in February 1971 during the Cultural Revolution as a sent-down youth in Xingyang. In 1973, he entered Wuhan Institute of Metallurgy (now incorporated into Wuhan University of Science and Technology) as a "Worker-Peasant-Soldier student". He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in September 1976.[1]

After graduating from college, Sun stayed at his alma mater as an instructor. He entered the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics to pursue graduate studies in economics, then he became, for a brief period, a research fellow at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. In April 1985, he quit academia to pursue a career in politics, entering the Wuhan municipal government.[2]

Political career

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In Wuhan, the provincial capital, Sun became the deputy head of the city's economics commission, and also in charge of economic restructuring. He became the district deputy party chief, then governor of Hanyang District. In March 1993 he was named vice mayor of Wuhan, then transferred to serve as the mayor of Yichang in August 1996, and promoted to party chief in March 1999. He became a member of the provincial Party Standing Committee in June 2002, and the secretary-general of the Party Committee, becoming chief of staff under then-party chief Yu Zhengsheng.[2]

Beginning in September 2006, Sun began serving as executive vice governor of Anhui province, and a member of the party ruling council there. After a comprehensive set of health care reforms were put into effect by the central government, Sun spearheaded implementation of the reforms in Anhui province, pioneering a government drug purchase program which was circulated at the national level and dubbed the "Anhui model."[3] He was then tasked with implementing the Anhui model nationwide, taking on the role of deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission in March 2010, and then in December 2010, the chief of the Office of Health Care Reform.[2] In a government reshuffle in March 2013, Sun was named deputy director of the National Health and Family Planning Commission.[4]

On 16 October 2015, Sun was appointed acting governor of Guizhou province, succeeding Chen Min'er, who had been promoted to provincial party chief. Sun's governorship was duly confirmed by the provincial People's Congress on 30 January 2016.[5]

In July 2017, Sun was appointed as the CCP Committee Secretary of Guizhou.[6]

In December 2020, Sun was appointed as the Deputy Chairperson of the National People's Congress Financial and Economic Affairs Committee.[citation needed]

Downfall

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On August 28, 2023, Sun was investigated for "severe violations of discipline and law" by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.[7]

In February 2024, Sun was expelled from the CCP and arrested for bribery.[8][9][10] On August 14, he stood trial for graft at the No. 2 Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin, and was indicted for accepting bribes worth 813 million yuan (about 113.87 million U.S. dollars).[11] Sun has been sentenced to death, with a two-year reprieve on October 29.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Sun Zhigang". China Vitae. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  2. ^ a b c 卫计委原副主任孙志刚任贵州省副省长、代理省长 [Sun Zhigang appointed acting governor of Guizhou]. Xinhua (in Chinese). 2015-10-16.[dead link]
  3. ^ "国务院医改办已基本确定重返发改委". Caixin. Retrieved 2015-10-14.
  4. ^ "中华人民共和国国务院任免人员". Government of the People's Republic of China. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
  5. ^ "Sun Zhigang appointed acting governor of Guizhou". Xinhua. 2015-10-16. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
  6. ^ 孙政才不再兼任重庆市委书记 陈敏尔担任
  7. ^ "贵州省委原书记孙志刚被查!". National Business Daily (in Chinese (China)). 2023-08-28.
  8. ^ "Former top legislature official, Guizhou Party chief expelled from CPC". xinhuanet.com. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Former Provincial Party Chief Expelled for 'Meddling With Judicial Activities'". caixinglobal.com. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Former Party chief of Guizhou arrested - People's Daily Online". en.people.cn. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Former Party chief of Guizhou stands trial for bribery". news.cn. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Former Guizhou Party chief sentenced to death with reprieve for taking bribes-Xinhua". english.news.cn.
Government offices
Preceded by
Guo Yuanzhang
Mayor of Yichang
1996–1999
Succeeded by
Preceded by Executive Vice Governor of Anhui
2006–2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of the Office of the Leading Group for Deepening the Reform of the Medical and Health System under the State Council
2010–2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Guizhou
2015–2017
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
Tian Zhenya
Communist Party Secretary of Yichang
1996–1999
Succeeded by
Preceded by Secretary-General of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
2002–2006
Succeeded by
Preceded by Communist Party Secretary of Guizhou
2017–2020
Succeeded by
Assembly seats
Preceded by
Chen Min'er
Chairman of the Guizhou Provincial People's Congress
2018–2021
Succeeded by
Shen Yiqin