China investigates Sun Shaocheng, former Inner Mongolia party chief and veterans minister

A former Communist Party chief of the resource-rich Inner Mongolia autonomous region, who was also China’s first veterans affairs minister, is under investigation amid the country’s continuing anti-corruption campaign.

Sun Shaocheng, 65, is being investigated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection for “suspected serious violations of discipline and law”, a euphemism for corruption, the top disciplinary body said on Thursday.

Sun serves as vice-chairman of the Social Development Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, a semi-retirement position he was appointed to in October 2025 on reaching retirement age. He is a member of the party’s 20th Central Committee.

The disciplinary review and supervisory investigation was announced days after the announcement that China’s top-ranking general, Zhang Youxia, and another senior officer, Liu Zhenli, were under investigation.

Sun’s downfall came only four months after he stepped down as party chief of Inner Mongolia, a role he held from 2022 to 2025. Wang Lixia, who served as the region’s government head at the time, came under investigation in August 2025.

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Sun played a key role in China’s veteran affairs from 1999, when he had a leading role at the Bureau of Preferential Treatment and Resettlement, part of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, which was then in charge of resettling former military personnel.

South China Morning Post