Chinese second-tier actor Cheng Hong has been dismissed from his post after being found guilty of misusing public funds for a private holiday in Europe.
Watch: Cheng Hong’s Wife and New Girlfriend Bragging About Public Funds
The Lanzhou City Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision revealed its findings after investigating four violations of the central government’s Eight-Point Regulation. Among the most striking was the case involving Cheng Hong, who had been serving as assistant director at the Lanzhou Grand Theatre.
Lanzhou Grand Theatre operates under the Lanzhou Bureau of Culture and Tourism and holds the same administrative level as a county chief in China’s bureaucratic hierarchy.
Cheng, born in March 1971 in Xi’an, Shaanxi, was known as a second-tier actor and had previously held roles such as Deputy General Manager of the Lanzhou Performance Group and Chairman of the Lanzhou Drama and Dance Art Association.
In December 2020, Cheng was even honoured as a “Model Moral Figure” by the Lanzhou city government, marking a stark contrast with his recent downfall.
The investigation found that during an official art tour to Europe, Cheng altered the trip’s itinerary to visit tourist cities including Paris, Brussels, and Rotterdam. The expenses for these detours, including accommodation and transport, were covered by his institution—an act that directly violated public fund usage regulations.
He was also found to have committed other breaches of discipline, leading to a stern warning from the Communist Party and his removal from official duties. All misused funds have since been recovered, according to authorities.
Cheng’s case adds to a growing list of disciplinary actions within the same cultural institution. His dismissal comes not long after the theatre’s former director, Su Xiaolin, faced similar allegations.
Su, born in March 1958 and once hailed as a first-tier actor, retired in April 2021 but was expelled from the Party in August 2023. He had allegedly formed political cliques and abused his authority during his time in office. Su had also served as a government advisor in Gansu Province and is currently under investigation for corruption and bribery.
This latest revelation highlights a continued crackdown on misuse of public funds and corruption within China’s cultural and performing arts institutions. The central government’s Eight-Point Regulation, introduced to curb bureaucratic excess, remains a focal point for discipline inspections across sectors.
The fate of Cheng Hong not only reflects his personal misconduct but also signals the government’s growing intolerance toward financial impropriety, even among lesser-known public figures in the arts.