One of the mainland's youngest billionaires seems to have plunged from favour, after party authorities reportedly started investigating him in mid-March.
Rumours are rife about 41-year-old Dalian Shide chairman Xu Ming, an associate of former Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai, who is believed to have helped Xu amass his fortune.
Internet users and analysts began speculating after Xu failed to appear as scheduled in Hainan this week at the Boao Forum for Asia - an annual meeting of leaders from business, government and academia.
In 2008, Xu was named the mainland's 61st wealthiest person, with personal assets totalling around 8 billion yuan (HK$9.8 billion).
Shide is a conglomerate with interests ranging from home appliances and finance to building materials and chemicals.
Xu was considered one of Bo's closest associates, becoming wealthy while Bo held senior posts in Dalian and then Liaoning from the late 1980s to 2004.