The Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou is a comprehensive cultural venue built to commemorate Tang Xianzu, one of the world’s hundred great cultural figures and a master of Ming‑dynasty drama in China. It is also one of Jiangxi Province’s ten major memorial halls dedicated to historical luminaries.

A Mirror for Duty Performance | The “Gatekeeper” Who Lost His Bottom Line

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2026-09-23

The “gatekeeper” who has lost the bottom line

　　Holding the authority to approve and oversee projects, he should have safeguarded his “area of responsibility,” yet instead intervened illegally in project management for personal gain, securing benefits for unscrupulous businessmen… The disciplinary and legal case involving Sun Xiaohua (pseudonym), a mid-level cadre at a provincial-level unit, once again serves as a stark reminder that Party members and cadres must exercise their powers in accordance with the law, impartially, and with integrity.

　　Sun Xiaohua has long worked on the front lines of the agency’s operations, wielding significant authority over project approvals and regulatory oversight in the relevant sector. In 2012, a private enterprise entered into a development‑project agreement with a county government. Shortly thereafter, the company’s principal, Chen Ming (pseudonym), learned that the state was about to introduce new policies that would directly affect subsequent project development once implemented. To sidestep the impact of these policy changes and secure greater profits, he hastily initiated construction even before the project had obtained formal approval, seeking to pass it off as compliant.

　　Shortly thereafter, the policy was issued, and the local government, in accordance with the new regulations, decided to terminate its original cooperation agreement with the company and refused to approve or accept any projects that had been illegally rushed into construction. With the “sure‑thing deal” on the verge of slipping away, Chen Ming went through numerous channels to seek help from Sun Xiaohua, promising him a reward upon success. In turn, Sun Xiaohua instructed him to first lodge a complaint through the petition system to the higher authorities; once the petition was routed to their own agency, Sun would personally step in to mediate and resolve the issue.

　　Chen Ming, in accordance with this plan, submitted a petition. As expected, the petition was subsequently routed to the unit where Sun Xiaohua worked, setting the stage for a “coordination” effort that blatantly violated established principles. First, Sun Xiaohua, acting on behalf of the industry’s supervisory authority, convened a coordination meeting and instructed the relevant local governments to conduct investigations and verifications. Subsequently, the local governments submitted investigation reports on two occasions, both concluding that the matters raised in the petition were unsubstantiated. Nevertheless, having already tilted his stance, Sun Xiaohua continued, under various pretexts, to insist that the local governments honor the original cooperation agreement, ultimately resulting in a severe loss of state‑owned assets and resources.

　　Exploiting the nation’s resources for personal gain. In the end, Sun Xiaohua was placed under residential surveillance for serious disciplinary and legal violations and was severely punished in accordance with Party discipline and state law.

[Case Commentary]

　　The Sun Xiaohua case is a quintessential example of a leading cadre abusing official authority and engaging in quid pro quo transactions. Faced with a project that had already been lawfully halted, he not only failed to fulfill his regulatory duties as required by law but also abused his power, actively interfering in administrative proceedings, exerting pressure on local governments, and crossing institutional red lines—thereby opening the door wide for unlawful businessmen to seek illicit gains and seizing the opportunity to accept bribes. His misuse of public office for private gain gravely undermines national interests and severely disrupts market order and the principles of fairness and justice.

　　Power is entrusted to us by the Party and the people; it must be used solely to relieve the Party of its burdens, to serve the country, and to advance the interests of the people. It must never be perverted into a tool for personal gain, for the abuse of power will inevitably incur severe disciplinary and legal consequences. All Party members and leading cadres across the province must draw profound lessons from this case, always maintain a sense of reverence, remain vigilant, and uphold the bottom line. They must bear in mind that power is wielded for the people, their sentiments are bound up with the people, and their interests are pursued on behalf of the people. They must exercise power in accordance with the law, impartially, and with integrity, earnestly fulfilling their responsibilities to safeguard their respective areas, taking accountability, and performing their duties to the fullest. In this way, they should embody their original aspiration and mission through loyalty, integrity, and a strong sense of responsibility.

Source: Jiangxi Daily, Zhu Hua and Chen Chen

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Source of the article: Integrity Jiangxi WeChat Official Account

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