China’s former market regulator head to be tried for graft

Former head of China's financial markets regulator, Yi Huiman, is set to face corruption charges, according to state media. The Supreme People's Procuratorate announced the conclusion of an investigation into Yi and the referral of the case to a court in Qingdao for trial. Yi, currently in custody, is one of numerous officials targeted by Beijing's comprehensive anti-corruption campaign since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.

He is accused of abusing his positions, including as chairman of the Securities Regulatory Commission, to accept large bribes, benefit others, and unlawfully receive property. Yi served as the head of the China Securities Regulatory Commission from 2019 to 2024, a tenure marked by financial market challenges and economic slowdown.

In September 2025, he was under investigation by anti-corruption agencies. Yi's vice-chairman, Yao Gang, received an 18-year prison sentence for insider dealing and corruption in 2018. Additionally, China's military has undergone a purge of top officials, including the country's highest-ranking general, who are currently under investigation for corruption allegations.

Two former defense ministers were recently handed suspended death sentences after being found guilty of corruption charges.