On March 21, 2022, China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 disappeared during its journey from Kunming to Guangzhou and subsequently crashed, leaving all 132 passengers and crew onboard dead. The China Eastern Airlines 321 incident quickly became a global focal point, with China’s official investigation and response closely watched by the international community. However, two years later, despite repeated public calls for transparency, the government has chosen silence as its response.
As an industry insider, I must reveal a long-circulating truth within aviation circles—this tragic event was not an accident, but a deliberate act of suicide by the 59-year-old co-pilot, an act deeply entangled with internal political struggles and his own personal crises.
The Tragedy of the Co-Pilot and the Truth Behind His Suicide
The co-pilot was once a five-star captain at China Eastern Airlines, possessing extensive flight experience and an outstanding professional reputation. However, during the final two years of his career, a minor mistake led to his demotion to co-pilot. Although regulations allowed him to regain his captaincy through assessments, internal political conflicts within China Eastern Airlines prevented his reinstatement. The company’s leadership not only stripped him of his opportunity to return to the captain’s seat but also persistently suppressed him, blocking any further career progress. This was not only a career setback but also a grave insult to his personal dignity, exposing the flaws within the company’s regulatory system and legal principles.
At the same time, his personal investments suffered devastating losses due to the collapse of the real estate market and the bankruptcy of Evergrande. His lifelong savings were wiped out. To make matters worse, the captain on duty for that ill-fated flight was none other than the son of the company executive responsible for his suppression.
Under extreme pressure, the co-pilot fell into despair. On the brink of retirement, he ultimately chose to end his suffering through an act of suicide—taking the entire plane and everyone on board with him. This act shocked the aviation industry and left many heartbroken.
Why Would a Soon-to-Retire Pilot Resort to Such Extreme Measures?
Why would a man with a forty-year flawless career and multiple professional accolades suddenly commit such a devastating act? Some may argue that no personal hardship justifies an indiscriminate tragedy like this, and I do not disagree. However, it is easy to judge when one has not endured similar pain. While we rightfully condemn the perpetrator and mourn the victims, we must also examine the root causes behind this event to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
In aviation, we often discuss the concept of the “accident chain,” where a disaster is rarely caused by a single error but rather by a series of interconnected failures. Breaking even one link in this chain could prevent a catastrophe. The same principle applies to the human psyche—few individuals break down from a single misfortune. More often, it is a relentless series of setbacks—family troubles, personal failures, career struggles—that gradually push someone to the edge. If even one factor had provided a glimmer of hope or if there had been sufficient time to process the negative emotions, this tragedy might have been averted.
Personal hardships, character struggles, and career obstacles are all part of life, but the ultimate safety net for every individual should be the social environment itself. Just as laws serve as a moral safeguard, an equitable society acts as the last line of defense against despair. While imperfect and often frustrating, these institutions embody the conscience of a society, ensuring dignity and order for its people. Without such safeguards, even the most privileged life is no more than an illusion—water without a source, a tree without roots, liable to vanish at any moment.
We do not expect society and the government to cater to every personal hardship, but what if the system itself is flawed? If the workplace and social structures meant to provide a final safety net fail, shouldn’t we challenge them and demand change?
Government Silence and the Suffocating “Two Absolutes”
After the China Eastern Airlines 321 incident, we, as pilots, hoped this tragedy would lead to introspection within the aviation industry. China’s three major airlines, as state-owned enterprises directly managed by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), are part of the government’s administrative structure. We expected officials to recognize the severe consequences of imposing unjust political pressures on pilots.
However, reality has been a stark disappointment.
Under Xi Jinping’s leadership, the aviation industry has not become more transparent or humane. Instead, it has implemented the so-called “Two Absolutes”—Absolute Safety and Absolute Control. “Absolute Safety” imposes an impossibly high standard on pilots, demanding perfection under all circumstances, while “Absolute Control” enforces strict ideological and behavioral compliance. These policies disregard fundamental human rights and make pilots’ work and lives even more suffocating.
Even in my own experience at China Southern Airlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, bureaucratic inefficiency was rampant. Each pilot received over 3,000 company documents annually—most of them meaningless and completely detached from operational reality. There were countless absurd assessments, including one requiring pilots to memorize a newly established department’s phone number. What was the point of this? Regulations are already in place, and flight hours and rest periods are all networked—what purpose does memorizing a phone number serve, other than inflating bureaucratic job titles and achievements?
The political requirements placed on pilots have also become increasingly burdensome. Aviation companies should be managed by professionals, but under Xi’s leadership, the once-ceremonial Party Secretary role has regained supreme authority, prioritizing political loyalty over corporate efficiency, operational safety, and technical expertise. Pilots are forced to recite political slogans and undergo ideological assessments. Management loudly declares that “all operations must exceed standards” and that “all mistakes must be punished severely.” But what do these phrases even mean? If regulations exist, why not simply follow them? Why must there be “exceeding standards” and “extra punishments”? These arbitrary mandates trample on the rule of law, human rights, and individual dignity.
With such unchecked political influence, power is expanding without limits, and even basic professional courtesies have vanished. I personally witnessed an incident where a captain raised concerns about excessive overnight shifts preventing pilots from spending time with their families. The management’s response? “Your wife and kids have nothing to do with me.” How can a pilot, after hearing such a response, feel confident carrying out their flight duties? And would you feel safe boarding their flight?
Regulations are now so erratic that they change by the minute—what is written now may be altered 30 seconds later. With such an environment, how can safety, job stability, or even the mental well-being of employees be ensured? It is truly a miracle that incidents like China Eastern Airlines 321 haven’t happened more frequently.
Reflections on the China Eastern Airlines 321 Incident
The China Eastern Airlines 321 tragedy was not just an aviation disaster—it was a societal catastrophe fueled by internal political conflicts. The co-pilot, once a respected five-star captain, was unfairly demoted and subjected to relentless suppression. Under immense personal and professional strain, he resorted to an extreme act, ending his life and taking 132 innocent lives with him.
We had hoped this disaster would prompt introspection and reform within the industry, making it more transparent and fair. Instead, the government doubled down on control, implementing the “Two Absolutes” and further suffocating pilots under ideological and bureaucratic constraints.
This tragedy exposes the darker side of the aviation industry and has left pilots feeling utterly disillusioned. As pilots, we do not seek preferential treatment—we only wish to work in a just and transparent environment, free from political oppression. The China Eastern Airlines 321 disaster is a painful lesson, but the lessons it should have taught us remain largely ignored. We hope this tragedy will eventually spark greater public awareness and drive the aviation industry toward a more humane and fair future.
Shao Suyang's Blog 
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