Top Chinese provincial leader expelled, dismissed for graft

Beijing: Zhou Benshun, former chief of the ruling Communist Part of China (CPC) in the northern Hebei Province, has been expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office for multiple offences including graft, speaking against the party line and hindering investigations.

"Zhou severely violated political discipline and rules," the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a statement today.

"Zhou, 62, made remarks on major issues that went against the spirit of the central authority, and failed to earnestly implement the building of a clean government by interfering with and hindering investigations," it said, without elaborating.

"Zhou seriously violated the rules in promoting officials, and failed to report related personal matters," it said.

He also flouted frugality rules introduced at the end of 2012 by engaging in lavish receptions, holding banquets financed by public funds, frequenting private clubs, and "living an extravagant and wasteful life," said the statement.

Thousands of officials, including top CPC leaders, have been punished in the anti-graft campaign launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping since 2013.

Zhou accepted bribes and took advantage of his post to seek profits for others, including helping his son's business interests, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

"His family values are skewed and he indulged his wife and children," it said.

In addition, he broke CPC internal rules by storing classified documents and leaking state secrets, the CCDI said.

As a member of the CPC Central Committee, Zhou showed no signs of self-discipline even after the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012, when the anti-corruption campaign was launched, the statement said.

It said the decision to expel Zhou from the party will be confirmed later at the plenary meeting of the CPC Central Committee.

Zhou's ill-gotten gains will be confiscated and his case will be handed over to prosecutors, it said.