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Government and Policy

Two senior officials dismissed

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-01 09:23

Two more senior officials were reportedly dismissed by the country's top anti-graft body on the last day of 2009, a year which saw the downfall of at least a dozen ministerial-level officials.

Zheng Shaodong, a former senior police officer, faces investigation on charges of taking massive bribes in a development that appears to be linked to a broadening stock manipulation scandal.

Zheng, 51, who as assistant minister of public security in charge of handling economic crimes, was dismissed from his post and from the Communist Party of China (CPC), the website of the People's Daily newspaper reported.

"An investigation found that Zheng Shaodong abused his position," said the report. "He accepted huge bribes, and his relatives took massive cash payments from others."

The "suspected economic crimes have been handed to judicial organs for handling", said the report, using words that suggest Zheng is likely to stand trial.

The brief report did not say precisely how much money Zheng is accused of taking in bribes, and nor did it say who bribed him.

Earlier news reports linked his fall to an investigation into alleged stock manipulation by Huang Guangyu, the founder of China's largest home appliance retailer GOME, who has also been detained.

Zheng, a Guangdong native, was detained in January at the beginning of the investigation of Huang.

Once China's richest man before falling from grace, Huang is also being investigated on suspicion of committing crimes separate from the original stock manipulation accusation, Beijing prosecutors said last week.

Also yesterday, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee said Zhang Chunjiang, party chief and vice-chairman of China Mobile, has been removed from his post for involvement in "serious economic issues."

Zhang, 51, was confirmed to be under investigation for a "serious discipline breach" on Dec 26 by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Party's internal anti-graft body.

Zhang became secretary of the Party committee and vice-chairman of China Mobile in May 2008.

China Mobile is the country's biggest wireless service provider and the world's largest mobile carrier by number of subscribers.

Zhang was among a dozen ministerial-level officials who had been investigated for corruption, including former Shenzhen mayor Xu Zongheng.

China Daily - Xinhua