Former vice governor of Qinghai Province expelled from CPC, public office

Wen Guodong, former vice governor of northwest China's Qinghai Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the top anti-graft body announced Monday.

The announcement by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission came on the heels of an investigation carried out by the authorities into the case of Wen, who also once served as secretary of the Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture committee of the CPC and secretary of the Party working committee of the Qaidam circular economy pilot zone.

Wen lost his ideals and convictions, played at major decisions and arrangements by the CPC Central Committee and traded his power with illegal private businesses, resulting in continuing illegal mining activities in the province and serious damage to local political ecosystem, the statement said.

Wen flouted the eight-point code on Party and government conduct by accepting banquets invitations and gifts, said the statement, adding that he was dishonest to the Party when being asked about the issues.

Abusing his public power, Wen sought benefits for others in terms of illegal mining and construction project contracts and illegally accepted a huge amount of property and money in return, the statement added.

Wen severely violated the Party's political discipline and rules on organization and frugality, committed duty crime and is suspected of taking bribes, said the statement, adding that he showed no signs of restraint even after the 18th CPC National Congress.

His qualification for delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress and to the 13th CPC Qinghai Provincial Congress was terminated, it said.

His illicit gains will be confiscated and the suspected crimes, along with the involving property and money, will be transferred to the procuratorate for further investigation and prosecution, said the statement.