Two senior officials expelled from Party

ZHANG Shaochun, former vice minister of finance, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and public office for multiple violations.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission said in a statement yesterday that the two agencies conducted an investigation in Zhang’s case with approval from the CPC Central Committee.

The investigation found Zhang had violated the Party’s discipline, prying into information about relevant cases and refusing to cooperate in the probe.

By visiting luxury private clubs and attending banquets paid with public funds, he had violated the Party’s eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct, the statement said.

He was found to have violated the Party’s organizational discipline by seeking benefits for others in terms of personnel arrangements and accepting money and gifts in return.

Also, by accepting money and gifts and conducting money-forsex trades, he had violated the Party’s discipline on integrity, the statement said.

His acts to take advantage of his posts and decisions to seek benefits for others and accept huge amounts of money and gifts also put him on the radar for alleged bribery crimes.

The statement said Zhang, as a senior official, had lost his ideals and convictions, showing no Party consciousness and commitment to Party principles.

It also accused Zhang of using his power and influence as a tool for personal gains, leading a degenerate life, and showing no signs of restraint after the 18th CPC National Congress.

The CPC Central Committee has approved the decision to expel Zhang from the Party and his public posts were stripped by the NSC.

Wang Xiaoguang, former vice governor of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, was also expelled from the Party and public office for multiple offenses, including taking bribes.

Wang’s expulsion from the CPC was approved by the CPC Central Committee, while the NSC removed him from public office, according to the CCDI statement.

Wang was found in serious violation of the Party’s political code of conduct and rules, including soliciting votes by illegal means, said the statement.

Wang, also a former Standing Committee member of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee, has been under investigation by the CCDI and the NSC since April.

Other offenses include refusing to cooperate in the investigation, using public funds for personal purposes, intervening in judicial affairs, abusing his power to seek benefits for others, and taking a huge amount of bribes.