On August 29, 2026, the Chongqing Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision announced that Dai Ke, former first-level specialist of Chongqing Airport Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Chongqing Airport Group"), is suspected of serious disciplinary and legal violations and is currently under disciplinary review and supervisory investigation. Dai Ke, born in September 1965, assumed the role of chairman of Chongqing Airport Group in February 2022, and stepped down from the chairmanship in October 2024 to take up the post of first-level specialist. The title of specialist refers to a job rank, with first-level specialist corresponding to the top position of a state-owned enterprise, while second-level specialist corresponds to the level of deputy general manager, chief engineer, or chief accountant. Dai Ke is the second former chairman of Chongqing Airport Group to have fallen in the anti-corruption campaign.
On April 1, 2026, the Chongqing Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision announced that Zhao Jiangping, former chairman of Chongqing Airport, was placed under investigation for suspected disciplinary and legal violations. Chongqing Airport Group is a key state-owned enterprise directly under the Chongqing municipal government, managed by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. According to public information, in addition to the two former chairmen, six former senior executives at the level of vice president have also been arrested since February 2025.
Zhao Jiangping was once the superior of Dai Ke. In November 2003, the Chongqing Municipal Civil Aviation Administration was dissolved and restructured into Chongqing Airport Group. Zhao Jiangping, former director of the Chongqing Municipal Civil Aviation Administration, became the first chairman and general manager of the group, serving until October 2016. During Zhao's tenure, Dai Ke was appointed as a member of the Party committee and deputy general manager of Chongqing Airport Group in April 2004, and succeeded Zhao as general manager after Zhao stepped down in October 2016, with Tan Pingchuan serving as chairman at that time.
A retired employee of Chongqing Airport Group revealed to reporters that both Zhao and Dai had worked alongside him for many years. Zhao once worked in the airport's telephone crew, climbing poles to repair overhead telephone lines, which was a demanding job. During the 1980s, there were 21 pairs of overhead telephone lines between Baishiyi Airport and downtown Chongqing, which frequently broke due to wind and other factors. The young Zhao was diligent and unafraid of hardship, earning the recognition of his superiors and gradually rising through the ranks until he became the first chairman of the group. The same retiree also said that Dai Ke came from Southwest Normal College, with a background in physics. In 1997, Dai was transferred to the Chongqing Jiangbei Airport expansion headquarters as deputy commander, later becoming commander, until he became general manager in 2016, overseeing the airport expansion work.
According to public information, Zhao Jiangping is a veteran in the civil aviation industry with a long career in the system. During his tenure, Chongqing Airport completed the construction of the second runway, T2 terminal, and the eastern terminal area; the airport gradually gained the ability to operate direct flights to Europe, Australia, and the Americas. The group's assets grew from 500 million yuan to 3 billion yuan, and its passenger throughput entered the national top ten. The group's official WeChat account shows that on June 2, 2015, Zhao, born in the 1950s, retired from the general manager position due to age, with Tan Pingchuan succeeding him. The legal representative of the group was changed to Tan on June 9 of the same year. One year later, Tan became the party secretary and chairman, with Zhao fully exiting.
Dai Ke became general manager of Chongqing Airport Group in October 2016, and it was not until February 2022 that he finally assumed the top post, serving as both chairman and general manager. By the time the disciplinary authorities announced his investigation, Dai had already retired. According to publicly available information compiled by reporters, the tenures of both men spanned the major expansion of Chongqing Airport. The Chongqing Jiangbei Airport expansion projects involved enormous investments: the second phase (2001–2005) had a total investment of 1.61 billion yuan, building a 70,000-square-meter T2B terminal and raising annual passenger capacity to 7 million; the third phase (2008–2010) invested 3.458 billion yuan, completing the T2A terminal and a second runway of 3,600 meters, ushering the airport into the twin-runway era; the fourth phase planned a total investment of approximately 21.6 billion yuan for the fourth runway and T3B terminal, which was later integrated into the fifth phase after planning adjustments; the fifth phase, with a total investment of approximately 22.5 billion yuan, began construction in November 2020, with the fourth runway put into use at the end of 2024 and the T3B terminal completed and operational in 2025, achieving an annual passenger throughput of 80 million.
Since February 2025, six former deputy general managers of Chongqing Airport Group have been arrested one after another. In chronological order of official announcements, they are: Jia Chaoxuan, Xiong Dezhi, Chen Shiqin, Li Guangcai, Pei Mingxue, and Zhang Mingjin.
Jia Chaoxuan, former deputy general manager in charge of engineering, later held the position of second-level specialist. He fell on February 19, 2025, and has been expelled from the Party and public office and referred to judicial authorities. In September 2025, the Chongqing disciplinary authorities stated in the notification on Jia: "Corrupt and degenerate, engaged in large-scale interest transfer, used his position to seek benefits for others in project contracting and business operations, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property."
Xiong Dezhi, former member of the Party committee and deputy general manager, was investigated while still in office. He fell on February 19, 2025, and has also been expelled from the Party and public office and referred to judicial authorities. In September 2025, the notification stated: "Xiong Dezhi improperly sought benefits for others in employee recruitment in exchange for property, failed to truthfully explain issues during organizational inquiries, crossed integrity bottom lines by engaging in for-profit activities, distorted his view of power, turned public power into a tool for personal gain, engaged in large-scale power-for-money deals, used his position to benefit others in employee recruitment and business operations, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property."
Chen Shiqin (female), former deputy general manager in charge of operations and finance, later served as a second-level specialist. She was placed under investigation on July 9, 2025.
Li Guangcai, former deputy general manager and chief financial officer, later served as a second-level specialist, managing fund disbursement for a long time. He was also investigated on July 9, 2025.
Zhang Mingjin, former member of the Party committee and deputy general manager in charge of engineering projects and equipment procurement, was placed under investigation in September 2025. In June 2026, he was expelled from the Party and public office and referred to judicial authorities. The notification stated: "After investigation, Zhang Mingjin lost his ideals and convictions, betrayed his original mission, was disloyal and dishonest to the Party, failed to implement rectification requirements from inspections, and resisted organizational review; ignored the spirit of the Eight Central Regulations by accepting gifts and attending banquets that could affect fair official duties; improperly intervened in project contracting; was greedy and corrupt, using his position to benefit others in project contracting and equipment sales, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property."
Pei Mingxue, former member of the Party committee and deputy general manager, was publicly expelled from the Party in April 2026 and referred to judicial authorities, with the case emerging years after his departure from the company. The notification on April 28, 2026, stated: "After investigation, Pei Mingxue lost his ideals and convictions, betrayed his original mission, ignored the spirit of the Eight Central Regulations, improperly accepted banquets and gifts; violated organizational principles by seeking benefits for others in employee recruitment in exchange for property; crossed integrity bottom lines by taking up positions in companies with business ties to his former employer after leaving, and obtaining large returns through private lending; his personal desires swelled, and he used his position or the convenience formed by the former authority or status of retired state employees closely connected to him to benefit others in project contracting and business operations, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property."
With this, the total number of fallen executives at Chongqing Airport Group stands at two former chairmen and six vice presidents. At the end of August 2026, a well-known criminal defense lawyer in Chongqing revealed to reporters that family members of two of the arrested vice presidents had sought legal assistance, with the two individuals charged with suspected bribery. Reporters will continue to follow up on this story.