Li Shixiang

Li was born in August 1958 in Beijing. He began his career in August 1978 as a middle school teacher in the city's Tongzhou district.

In January 2003 he was promoted to become party chief of Chaoyang District, one of the most prosperous regions in the capital city, in which he held until November 2006. Three years later, he was admitted to a member of the standing committee of the Beijing Party committee, the city's top authority. In July 2012 he was promoted again to become executive vice mayor of Beijing.^[2] Then he was appointed as vice-chairman of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), serving in the post until he retirement in January 2018.^[3]

In September 2018, he was put under investigation for alleged "serious violations of discipline and laws", said one-sentence statement issued by the ruling Communist Party's corruption watchdog body, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).^[4] In February 2019, Li was expelled from the CCP over serious violations of Party discipline and laws including taking bribes.^[5]

On June 27, 2019, his trial was held at the Changchun Intermediate People's Court.^[6] The public prosecutors accused him of abusing his positions between 2001 and 2013 in various positions in Beijing, including as party chief of Chaoyang district and vice-mayor of the capital, to help relevant departments and individuals in land acquisition, construction projects, house demolition and job promotions, and also colluded with other government employees to help others in financing.^[6] Other offenses included failing to report personal matters to authorities and engaging in superstitious activities in his pursuit of a successful career.^[6]

On November 12, 2019, Li was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fine of 6 million yuan ($928,800) for taking bribes of 88.19 million yuan ($13.65 million) by the Changchun Intermediate People's Court in Jilin province.^[7][8]