Senior CCP officials removed from party for discipline violations

Three senior officials were expelled from the Communist Party of China and removed from their posts due to severe violations of Party disciplines and laws, the country's top anti-graft watchdogs announced on Monday.

The three are Li Pengxin, former deputy secretary of the CPC Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee; Wang Yixin, former deputy governor of Heilongjiang province; and Chen Yuxiang, former deputy secretary of the Hebei Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. They were all placed under investigation in December 2023.

They constitute serious violations of duty and are suspected of bribery crimes. Their cases, along with the involved parties, have been handed over to procuratorial authorities for review and prosecution, according to the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision.

Li Pengxin cultivated personal power, accepted banquets, and arranged driver services in violation of regulations, but did not truthfully explain issues during organizational inquiries.

Li engaged in selling official positions and titles, seriously polluting the local political environment; colluded with business interests and used positions to benefit others in mineral development, business operations, and cadre selection and appointment; and accepted large sums of equity and shares.

Li, 63, is a native of Shanxi province. He started his career in 1977 and joined the party in 1984. He worked in Northwest China's Qinghai province from 1977 to 2011. From October 2011 to September 2016, he served as the head of the Organization Department of the CPC committee in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. He later started working in Xinjiang, serving as deputy secretary of its CPC committee and head of Xinjiang's education work committee until July 2021.

Wang Yixin was associated with political fraudsters and obstructed organizational investigations. He also concealed family property information, did not truthfully explain issues during organizational discussions, and improperly selected and appointed cadres and accepted bribes.

Wang received discounted renovations from private business owners, used authority to benefit specific individuals, and engaged in power and money transactions. He also used official positions to benefit others in land development, project contracting, and accepting large sums of money.

Wang, 58, a native of Hubei province, started his first job in 1987 and joined the Party in 1993. He served as deputy governor of Shanxi province from 2013 to 2021. After that, he became deputy governor of Heilongjiang province until December 2023.

Chen Yuxiang violated discipline, broke laws, frequently accepted banquets, and improperly accepted arrangements for travel, fitness, and other activities. He sought benefits for others and accepted money in cadre selection and appointment.

Chen also intervened in judicial and law enforcement activities, willingly engaged in corrupt practices, used official positions to benefit others in business operations and project operations, and accepted large amounts of money.

Chen, 58, a native of Hebei province, joined the Party in 1986 and began working in 1988. He spent his career life in Hebei and once served in positions including party chief of Xingtai and secretary of the Shijiazhuang Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection.

He served as the deputy secretary of the Hebei Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection in November 2021.