A recent anti-corruption documentary has revealed extensive political-business collusion through the case of Luo Baoming, former Hainan Province Party Secretary, demonstrating how this form of corruption has become increasingly sophisticated and widespread. The four-episode series, which premiered this week, details how Luo established an elaborate network of associates spanning decades, exploiting his authority for personal gain through sophisticated bribery schemes.
Luo, who served as deputy Party chief, governor, and ultimately Party chief of Hainan before retiring from the National People’s Congress in 2023, constructed what investigators describe as a ‘distorted clique’ comprising fellow townsmen, business associates, government officials, and relatives. His corruption network utilized complex methods including entrusted shareholding arrangements, property exchanges, and deferred payments to conceal illicit transactions.
In a televised confession, Luo expressed remorse: ‘I let the Party down and failed Hainan’s people. Having worked there 16 years, I now see the countless wrongdoings and crimes I committed, which inflicted irreparable losses.’
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Commission of Supervision identified political-business collusion as a particularly concerning evolution in corruption patterns. Luo’s descent into corruption began in the 1990s in Tianjin, where he accepted a 500,000 yuan bribe (equivalent to approximately $71,700) to approve an auction house project—an enormous sum when China’s urban per capita disposable income measured only a few thousand yuan.
When Luo transferred to Hainan in 2001, he maintained his Tianjin business connections, exemplifying what anti-corruption authorities term ‘bringing businessmen to new posts’—a hallmark of modern collusion. The documentary details how Luo intervened to legalize unauthorized construction by a Tianjin businessman, who then arranged a property swap that provided Luo’s family with superior apartments in exchange for their older, smaller homes.
Another scheme involved a different Tianjin businessman who purchased a Luo family property at millions of yuan above market value to disguise bribery payments. Luo also manipulated personnel appointments, installing loyalists like Dong Xianzeng—who followed him from Tianjin and rose to head Hainan’s transportation department before receiving a 14.5-year prison sentence for bribery.
The network extended to Hainan Airlines Group, where Luo accepted luxury services including private jet travel, overseas trips for family members, and a wedding venue for his daughter—all under the guise of supporting private enterprise. Family members participated extensively, with Luo’s former son-in-law and daughter’s father-in-law allegedly receiving and facilitating millions in corrupt payments.
In December 2025, Luo received a 15-year prison sentence, with numerous associates facing disciplinary and legal consequences. The case exemplifies the Communist Party’s ongoing campaign against sophisticated corruption networks that undermine governance and economic development.