China's Communist Party has placed former Xinjiang party chief Ma Xingrui under investigation for suspected violations of discipline and law. Ma, a member of the party's Central Committee, served as Xinjiang's party secretary from 2021 to 2025. The alleged violations are unclear. Ma is the latest senior official to be removed this year. President Xi Jinping removed the top military general in January. Ma was replaced by Chen Xiaojiang last July. Xinjiang is known for its campaign of extrajudicial detentions, targeting minorities like the Uyghur Muslims. In March, China passed a law that experts say cements its assimilationist approach towards ethnic minorities.
