Former director of national TCM administration transferred for prosecution

Yu Wenming, former director of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been transferred to procuratorial authorities for examination and prosecution on suspicion of duty-related crimes, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission announced on Tuesday.

In June, the NSC launched an investigation into Yu over serious duty-related violations, which found that Yu had accepted banquets that could compromise the impartial exercise of his public power, failed to report personal matters as required, and accepted gifts and monetary presents.

Yu exploited his positions to benefit his relatives' business activities. He also distorted public resources in the medical and pharmaceutical sector into a tool for personal gain, securing advantages for others in key procedures, including drug registration approval and the extension of product registration certificates, in return for accepting huge sums of money and valuables.

Yu's case, along with the involved illegal gains, has been transferred to the procuratorial authorities for examination and prosecution in accordance with the law.

Yu, 62, a native of Shandong province, is a member of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party. He embarked on his career in 1988 and spent decades working in the medical and pharmaceutical sector.

Yu assumed the post of deputy director of TCM national administration in April 2004, a role he held for more than 14 years, before being promoted to director in June 2018. He stepped down from the post in July 2023.

He also served as full-time vice-chairman of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party Central Committee from December 2017 to December 2022.

After retirement, Yu remained active in the medical field, holding positions including president of the 7th Council of the China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, until he was placed under investigation in June 2025.