Three senior officials expelled from Party for graft

Three senior officials have been expelled from the Communist Party of China over serious violations, the country's top anti-graft bodies said on Tuesday.

Sun Guoxiang, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress, was expelled from the Party and removed from his post, according to a statement issued by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission on Tuesday.

Sun instructed private business owners to give him money, which he used to bribe others in order to gain himself a promotion. He also accepted gifts and invitations to banquets that may have compromised his ability to perform his duties fairly, it said.

He failed to confess his offenses in letters of inquiry from the Party. It's unclear what he offered private businesses in return for their money.

Sun also took advantage of his position to seek benefits for his relatives' business activities. He used his public power as a tool for personal gain, and to help people obtain bank loans and special funding, and he accepted a great deal of money and property in return.

He was placed under investigation in June. His case will be transferred to procuratorial organs, along with the money and property he received.

Chen Jiadong, former chairman of the Standing Committee of the Xiamen Municipal People's Congress in Fujian province, was also expelled from the Party and removed from his post, according to another statement issued by the CCDI and NSC.

It said Chen abused his power for personal promotion, resisted organizational censorship and engaged in superstitious activities. He also took part in "image projects" that wasted manpower and money, and he wrongfully accepted gifts, money and banquet invitations.

Chen also appointed cadres based on favoritism and personal relations. He didn't disclose his misconduct in letters of inquiry, and he also failed to report personal matters as required.

He also used his power to seek benefits for his relatives' business activities, to gain sexual favors, to interfere in construction projects and to gain profits for others in enterprise operations and project contracting.

He accepted large amounts of money and property, embezzled State-owned assets, engaged in malpractice for personal gains and abused his power, resulting in heavy losses for the State, the statement said.

Chen was placed under investigation in February. Procuratorial organs will take up his case and confiscate money and property that he received.

The third official to be expelled by the Party was Huang Yi, former vice-chairman of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, another statement reported.

Huang seriously deviated from the Party's united front work guidelines, policies and principles, seriously polluted the local political ecology and resisted censorship from the organization.

He accepted gifts for a long time, and he attended banquets and private clubs that may have compromised his duties. Huang also failed to report personal issues as required, and did not disclose his misdeeds in Party talks and inquiries.

Huang earned a lot of money through private lending and engaged in profit-making activities. He also took advantage of his positions to gain profits for others in personnel appointments, project contracting and project approvals. Like the other two officials, he, too, accepted a large amount of money and property, it said.

He was put under investigation in March. His case and ill-gotten gains will be transferred to procuratorial organs.