Two top officials of Communist Party of China dismissed for corruption

Chinese President Xi Jinping's massive anti-graft drive continues to net top officials as the ruling Communist Party of China on Saturday dismissed two of its representatives in northwestern Shaanxi province for discipline violations and corruption. Hundreds of top military officials have either been sacked or prosecuted under the anti-corruption campaign launched by 66-year-old Xi since he came into power in 2012.

Xi, currently in his second five-year tenure, has emerged as the powerful leader after Mao Zedong and heads the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), the military and the Presidency. Shaanxi is his home province. Over a million officials all over China have been punished for corruption and misuse of power under the President's anti-graft campaign which critics say also helped him to consolidate his power.

Dozens of top generals and officials of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) have been sacked or prosecuted for corruption and misuse of power in the anti-graft drive. Chief of CPC in Shaanxi province Zhao Zhengyong and Chen Guoqiang, the province's deputy governor, were dismissed for discipline violations and corruption, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement on Saturday.

Zhao strayed from his ideals and convictions and was disloyal to the party, it said. Zhao violated the party's disciplinary standards on politics, organization, clean governance and life, and is suspected of taking bribes, state-run Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

His illicit gains would be confiscated, it said, adding that the case will be transferred to the Procuratorate, the highest national level agency responsible for both prosecution and investigation, for further investigation and prosecution, it said. An investigation found that Zhao performed his duty perfunctorily, resisted authorities' investigation, abused his power to seek benefits for others in terms of job promotions, received gifts and money in return, the statement said.

Chen, the province's former deputy governor, was also expelled from the party and his post. Chen lost his ideals and convictions, was disloyal and dishonest to the Party, played up to people of power to seek personal promotion and resisted authorities' investigation, another official statement said.

He violated the eight-point code on party and government conduct by accepting banquets invitation and free travels. He violated the party's political and organizational discipline and discipline on upholding integrity, and is suspected of taking bribes, it said. His illicit gains will be confiscated and the suspected crimes will be transferred to the Procuratorate for further investigation and prosecution, it said.

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