Yang Weize

After the dismissal of Ji Jianye, rumours about Yang himself being "in trouble" began circulating in late 2013. For much of 2014, Yang executed the party's anti-corruption and "mass line" campaigns with great fervour in Nanjing, ostensibly as a display of loyalty to the new party leadership under Xi Jinping. In addition, in preparation for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, Yang called upon the city to embrace the slogan, "work hard for one hundred days, clean up the environment."[7] Between April and August, various "clean-up" initiatives took place across the city. During this time, Yang was said to have visited all the sporting venues and surrounding areas to ensure that work was being completed as planned. The "one hundred day clean-up" campaign earned Yang praise from local residents.[7] In May, Yang said that Nanjing was open to the idea of hosting the 2019 Asian Games after organizers from Vietnam withdrew from hosting the event.[7]

In July 2014, state media announced the investigation into China's former security chief and Wuxi-area native Zhou Yongkang. In September 2014, Yang's friend and colleague Feng Yajun (冯亚军), then serving as the district party chief of Jianye District and a member of the Nanjing Party Standing Committee, was detained for investigation. Several days later, Lou Xuequan (娄学全), former party chief of Luhe District of Nanjing, committed suicide in his home.[7] On December 13, the "National Commemoration Ceremony" for the Nanking Massacre took place in the city, attended by President Xi Jinping. Yang did not accompany Xi's subsequent visit to the Zhenjiang and Nanjing area.[7] After the Commemoration Ceremony, Yang maintained an extremely low-profile, showing reluctance even when signing routine documents and pushing most work onto Mayor Miao Ruilin. On January 1, 2015, Yang took part in a long-distance running race to ring in the new year at the Nanjing City Wall. Those who attended the race reported that Yang looked extremely stressed and uneasy.[7]

On January 4, 2015, Yang was detained by officials from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Party's internal anti-graft agency, on "suspected serious violations of displinary and law".[9] His wife and deputy chief of staff was also reported to have been detained on the same day.[10] Yang was chairing a "democratic life meeting" when he was informed by an assistant that his presence was immediately required at the provincial party headquarters. Yang promptly adjourned the meeting and made his way there.[10] According to a Jiangsu party disciplinary official, upon realizing he was being apprehended by party disciplinary personnel, Yang attempted to kill himself by jumping out of a window at the provincial party headquarters but was ultimately restrained from doing so.[11]

Following an investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, on July 31, 2015, Yang was expelled from the Communist Party of China. In an official statement, the CCDI accused Yang of "gravely violating organizational discipline, hiding personal information [from the authorities], accepting cash gifts, seeking gain for others using the convenience of his office [...] violating the Eight-point Regulation, frequenting high-end hotels and private clubs, accepting banquet invitations from others; using the convenience of his office to seek promotion or further business interests of others, and taking huge bribes." Of these offenses cited, most were merely violations of party discipline; however, bribery constituted a crime. Yang's case was forwarded to judicial authorities for prosecution.[12]

On December 14, 2016, Yang Weize was sentenced for 12 years and 6 months in prison, having been convicted on charges of bribery by the Ningbo People's Intermediate Court. Two million yuan of personal assets were seized, and all of his earnings deemed to have come from corrupt sources were confiscated by the national treasury. The total value of bribes recorded by the court was 16.43 million yuan.[13]