Bai Enpei

Bai Enpei (Chinese: 白恩培; pinyin: Bái Ēnpéi; born 8 September 1946) is a former Chinese politician who was convicted of corruption. Bai served in several high-ranking positions throughout his career, including Deputy Party Secretary of Inner Mongolia, Governor and Party Secretary of Qinghai, and Party Secretary of Yunnan. His political career ended in disgrace when he was investigated and convicted of corruption, leading to a severe sentence.

Biography

Early Life and Education

Bai Enpei was born in 1946 in Yuanjiagou village, Qingjian County, Shaanxi Province. After completing elementary school, he left his hometown as a teenager. In 1965, Bai was admitted into the Northwestern Polytechnical University, studying mechanical automation. During the Cultural Revolution, he was placed in a collective farm to perform manual labor. In 1972, he was transferred to work at a diesel engine factory in Yan’an, where he advanced from a dispatcher to the factory’s president and party chief.

Political Career

  • Yan’an:
    • Deputy Party Secretary: September 1983
    • Party Chief: 1985
    • Alternate Member of the Central Committee: 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (1987)
  • Inner Mongolia:
    • Deputy Party Secretary: 1993–1997
  • Qinghai:
    • Governor: 1997–1999
    • Party Secretary: 1999–2001
  • Yunnan:
    • Party Secretary: 2001–2011

Post-Retirement

After reaching the retirement age of 65 for ministerial officials, Bai Enpei was replaced by Qin Guangrong in August 2011. He subsequently served on the Environment and Resource Protection Committee of the National People’s Congress.

Corruption Investigation and Conviction

In August 2014, state media announced that Bai Enpei was under investigation for “serious violations of law and discipline.” By September 3, 2014, he was dismissed from his posts. Bai’s corruption was linked to business dealings with notable figures such as Sichuan businessman Liu Han and former China National Petroleum head Jiang Jiemin.

Sentence

On October 9, 2016, Bai was sentenced to death with a reprieve by the Anyang Intermediate People’s Court. He was convicted of taking bribes worth approximately 246.7 million yuan (~$41.12 million) and amassing wealth of unclear origin. His sentence was the most severe among officials charged with corruption during Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign, highlighting the seriousness of his offenses.

Family

Bai Enpei hails from a prominent political family. His grandfather was a cousin of Bai Rubing, former party chief and two-time governor of Shandong, and Bai Dongcai, former party chief of Jiangxi. Bai’s uncle, Bai Zhimin, was also a notable official. Bai was married twice; his second wife, Zhang Huiqing, served as vice-president and party chief of the Yunnan provincial branch of State Grid. Zhang was rapidly promoted during Bai’s tenure in Qinghai and Yunnan, and it was reported that Bai was significantly influenced by her.