Two provincial-level officials held on suspicion of bribery, corruption

Two provincial-level officials have been arrested on suspicion of bribery and corruption, according to Supreme People's Procuratorate (SSP) on Tuesday.

Ai Wenli, 63, former vice-chairman of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, has been arrested on charge of accepting bribes. Bai Xiangqun, former vice-chairman of North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, has been arrested on suspicion of bribery and embezzlement.

The National Supervisory Commission has completed its investigation of the two cases and handed the findings to the procuratorial organ for review and prosecution, the SPP said.

In July, Ai surrendered himself to the anti-graft officials, becoming the first vice-ministerial-level official to turn himself in since late 2012, when the new leadership of China was elected and battling corruption became a top priority across the country.

Between 2006 to July 2018, Ai mainly served as the mayor and Party chief of Chengde city of Hebei province, mayor and deputy secretary in Shijiazhuang city of Hebei, head of publicity department of Hebei province and vice chairman of Hebei Provincial Committee of the CPPCC.

According to Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), he violated the Party disciplines, refused to report his personal affairs to the Party organization, and accepted cash and gifts from others.

Moreover, he was accused of making use of his job to benefit others, then accepted huge bribes either paid in cash or properties

"As a senior Party official, he has lost the ideal and faith and was willing to be surrounded by bribers," according to a released statement by the CCDI.

Last week, Ai was expelled from the Party for violating the Party disciplines and laws. The anti-graft officials had confiscated his illicit assets and sent the evidence to the SPP, with a proposed lenient punishment.