China’s agriculture minister was removed from the ministry’s leadership ranks amid the investigation

Beijing: China’s agriculture minister, who is being investigated by Beijing’s corruption watchdog for possible corruption, has been removed from the leadership list on the ministry’s website, a change that analysts say could delay China’s food security plans.

According to an official statement on Saturday, Tang Renjian, 61, was investigated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervision Commission for “serious violations of discipline and law.” The term is CCDI’s signature euphemism for corruption.

The investigation into Tang, who also heads China’s food security campaign, was unusually quick. “Once an investigation like this is announced, it is essentially a foregone conclusion that the official will be removed from office,” Even Pay, an agricultural analyst at Trivium China, said on Monday.

The Agriculture Department did not immediately respond to a request Reuters Request for comments.

Under Tang, the ministry had tightened its food security policy and will implement a new law on June 1 to ensure grain self-sufficiency.

Analysts said Tang’s removal was unlikely to bring major changes to China’s food security goals but could delay their implementation.

“There is a risk that unrest within the department as a result of Tang’s investigation could slow implementation timelines or create further difficulties for officials who worked closely with Tang, depending on the focus of this investigation,” Pay said.

“Nevertheless, given that food security is so important to Xi Jinping, major disruptions or delays are unlikely to be tolerated.”

While policy direction on food security is jointly coordinated by several ministries and departments, the Ministry of Agriculture is the main body responsible for overseeing the rural economy.

“Its demise follows a severe economic decline in rural areas in recent years,” said Ma Wenfeng, senior analyst at Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultancy.

China is the world’s largest buyer of grain, pork and other agricultural products. The agricultural industry is watching the push for food self-sufficiency in the world’s second-largest economy as it could reduce China’s import demand.

RECENT APPEARANCES

Tang last appeared publicly on Wednesday at a rural talent conference in the northwestern province of Shaanxi.

Last year, before the formal removal of Li Shangfu and Qin Gang, China’s former defense and foreign ministers, the two men were missing for months. Her disappearance raised questions among diplomats about abrupt changes in China’s leadership at a time when the country’s economic growth is sluggish and relations with the United States have deteriorated.

The State Council, or Cabinet, still listed Tang as agriculture minister on its website Monday afternoon.

Tang’s name did not provide any search results on his ministry’s website other than a statement about his investigation.

In a statement on Saturday, the Communist Party’s top leadership at the Agriculture Ministry said it “unanimously” supported the decision to investigate Tang.

“We must punish corruption harshly with a zero-tolerance stance,” the statement said.

Tang served as governor of the northwestern province of Gansu from 2017 to 2020 before being appointed minister of agriculture and rural affairs in December 2020.