Fri May 16 15:10:00 IST 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:

**Top Guangxi Official Under Investigation, Signaling Crackdown on Pollution and Corruption**

Nanning, Guangxi – Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Chairman Lan Tianli is reportedly under investigation, marking another high-profile fall from grace for a senior ethnic minority official, according to a 星岛网 report published Tuesday.

Lan Tianli’s disappearance from public view in recent days sparked rumors that quickly spread throughout the region and beyond. The investigation is expected to focus on alleged corruption and environmental damage linked to Guangxi’s extensive mining operations, particularly in the lucrative non-ferrous metals industry such as aluminum and tin. Concerns have been raised in Beijing about the serious pollution caused by this sector.

Lan, a member of the Zhuang ethnic group, has held various key positions in Guangxi, including head of the Science and Technology Department, Mayor and Party Secretary of Hechi City, and Vice Chairman of the Autonomous Region. At 49, he became the vice-chairman of the autonomous region. He was also a member of the 18th and 19th CPC Central Committee, and a member of the 20th CPC Central Committee. His career, spanning more than three decades in Guangxi politics, suggests a potentially wide-ranging probe involving numerous other officials. The recent investigation of Pan Liaoting, Deputy General Manager of the state-owned Beibu Gulf International Port Group, is also suspected to be linked to the case.

Guangxi is one of China’s five ethnic minority autonomous regions, along with Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Ningxia, and Tibet. By unwritten rule, these regions are expected to have representatives in the National People’s Congress or the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Traditionally, the Guangxi Chairman, save for a few exceptions like Lu Bing, has typically ascended to national leadership roles after their tenure, with previous incumbents like Cheng Kejie, Li Zhaozhuo, Ma Biao, and Chen Wu becoming Vice Chairmen of the CPPCC. Had Lan continued on his trajectory, he potentially could have risen to the vice-chairmanship of the CPPCC in 2028.

The case draws parallels with that of Cheng Kejie, who was famously executed for corruption while serving as Vice Chairman of the National People’s Congress in 1999. The case garnered immense attention, and further details related to Cheng Kejie’s legacy in his hometown have also surfaced. The investigation into Lan Tianli underscores Beijing’s continued commitment to fighting corruption and addressing environmental concerns, even at the highest levels of regional government. An official announcement is expected soon.

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