Former Agricultural Development Bank vice-president expelled over graft

Xu Yiding, former vice-president of the Agricultural Development Bank of China, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and dismissed from public office for serious violations of Party discipline and national laws, the country's top anti-graft authorities said on Monday.

The decision followed an investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC and the National Commission of Supervision, which was launched in February.

Xu, also a former member of the bank's Party committee, violated the central Party leadership's eight-point decision on improving conduct by accepting gifts and attending banquets that could have affected the impartial performance of his duties, according to a statement issued by the authorities.

He also abused his influence to help others secure benefits in employee recruitment and job adjustments, and improperly occupied property belonging to a former employer, the statement said.

Xu was found to have abused his authority over loans intended to support poverty alleviation and agriculture for personal gain. He engaged in power-for-money deals and used his positions to help others obtain approvals and disbursements for project loans in exchange for large sums of money and valuables, according to the statement.

The authorities said Xu seriously violated the Party's organizational, integrity and life disciplines, committed serious duty-related violations and was suspected of accepting bribes.

The CCDI decided to expel him from the Party, while the NCS dismissed him from public office. His illicit gains have been confiscated, and his suspected criminal case will be transferred to procuratorial authorities for review and prosecution. Illegal assets involved in the case will also be transferred.

Xu began his career in July 1988 and spent much of it at the Agricultural Development Bank of China. He held senior positions at the bank's branches in Shandong, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces before taking posts at its headquarters in late 2014, including heading departments responsible for poverty alleviation and financial services.

He became a member of the bank's Party committee in 2019 and later served concurrently as vice-president.

Xu received a national award for innovation in poverty alleviation in 2017. He was placed under investigation in February while in office.