Unverified reports circulating online in China claim that a local inspection official in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, and her husband were killed inside their home in what has been described as a violent attack.
According to posts shared on social media platform X, the incident allegedly occurred on March 18 at the Jiyang Lake No. 1 residential complex in Zhangjiagang. The victims were identified as Wang Jingjuan, head of the Third Inspection Team under the Zhangjiagang Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, and her husband.
Wang previously served as mayor of Nanfeng Town and was later transferred to Jinfeng Town. Online posts also claim that she had family ties to Yonggang Group, one of Jiangsu’s major private steel producers.
Allegations circulating online describe the attack as unusually brutal and suggest the involvement of four foreign nationals, reportedly from Myanmar, who were hired through intermediaries. The alleged payment was said to total about 40 million yuan, approximately 5.5 million US dollars, distributed through layered accounts. These claims have not been independently verified.
Separate claims link the case to the earlier death of Liu Wenchao, a business executive. According to online posts, three members of a task force involved in Liu’s case reportedly died in a traffic accident two months earlier. It is also claimed that Liu’s immediate family members left China before December. These assertions remain unverified.
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The name Liu Wenchao appears to correspond to a man who served as chairman and general manager of Xizi Elevator Technology Co., Ltd., and who died in June 2025 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Chinese media at the time reported that Liu died by suicide after falling from a building at the age of 54.
Reports noted that just three days before his death, on May 30, 2025, Liu had appeared in good spirits while speaking at a company event marking the start of “Safety Production Month.”
A self-made entrepreneur
Liu was widely described as a self-made entrepreneur in China’s elevator industry. Founded in 2008, Xizi Elevator had around 1,200 employees by the end of 2024 and an annual output value of 2.5 billion yuan, approximately 340 million US dollars.
Online commentary has amplified the allegations. One user claimed that Liu’s assets were seized during an investigation and alleged that his death was staged, including claims of a fabricated suicide note and restricted access to his remains. These claims have not been substantiated.
Discussion of the Zhangjiagang case has also spread on Chinese social media platforms. Searches for “Wang Jingjuan Zhangjiagang” on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, continue to return related content.
Some users say they have confirmed the incident locally, while others question its authenticity or describe it as difficult to believe. Comments include speculation about internal power struggles, as well as broader criticism of corruption and competition for resources within official circles.
Other remarks suggest the case could be linked to conflicts over power and financial interests, with some users alleging the involvement of hired attackers and others framing it as part of wider systemic tensions.
As of publication, Chinese authorities have not issued any public statement confirming the reported killings.
By Li Muzi
Editor’s Note: This article is based on media reports, publicly shared online posts, blogger statements, and user-submitted claims circulated on social media platforms. The details have not been independently verified and are presented as allegations or claims made by the sources.
