Yan Shiyuan, a former member of the Shandong provincial Party committee, has been demoted from the rank of vice-minister to deputy head of a department for violating Party discipline. This kind of punishment has been dubbed a "free-fall demotion" by the media.

原山东省委常委颜世元因违反党纪已由副部级降为副厅级。这种处罚方式被媒体称为“断崖式降级”。

“断崖式降级”（free-fall demotion）指官员职务被很大程度地降级。2014年，江西省委原常委、秘书长赵智勇从副省级连降七级到科级（the rank of office clerk）；云南省委原常委、昆明市委原书记张田欣连降四级，担任副处级（deputy head of a section）非领导职务。Free fall原指“自由落体”，也可指大幅度跌落或下降，比如，The price did a free fall.（价格一落千丈。）

“断崖式降级”意味着处分违纪官员（officials who violate the Party's discipline）的力度在加大。虽然这些问题官员没有涉嫌违法犯罪，但是按照《公务员法》、《行政机关公务员处分条例》、《中国共产党纪律处分条例》等相关规定，对那些违纪而不违法的官员（officials who violate the Party's discipline but don't violate the law）也有相应的处分，其中降级就是一种。高官降级可以起到警示和震慑作用，成为新的反腐举措（new move in the anti-corruption campaign）。