Hot Words

Free-fall demotion

断崖式降级(duanyashi jiangji)

Yan Shiyuan, a former member of the Shandong provincial Party committee, has been demoted from the rank of vice-minister to deputy head of a department for violating Party discipline. Yan is not the only senior government official demoted for violating the Party's regulations. Last July, a former member of the Jiangxi provincial Party committee Zhao Zhiyong was demoted to the rank of office clerk for taking advantage of his position to seek personal interests. A former member of the Yunnan provincial Party committee Zhang Tianxin has also been demoted from the rank of vice-minister to deputy head of a department because of nonfeasance that resulted in the loss of State assets. This kind of punishment has been dubbed a "free-fall demotion" by the media.