Former senior Guizhou political advisor expelled from CPC, public office

BEIJING -- Li Zaiyong, a former senior political advisor of Southwest China's Guizhou 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 country's top anti-graft body said Tuesday.

The decision came following an investigation by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision upon the approval of the CPC Central Committee.

Li was a member of the leading Party members group of the Guizhou Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice chairperson of the committee.

He is found to have lost his ideals and convictions, betrayed his original aspirations and mission, seriously deviated from the CPC Central Committee's key decisions and plans with wrong views on performance evaluation and power, and failed to implement the new development philosophy.

Li instead launched on wasteful vanity projects and debt financing in breach of regulations, which resulted in major debt risks and severe damage to the local ecological environment, while rejecting investigations into his problems, and engaged in superstitious activities for an extended period, according to an official statement.

Li is found to have violated the eight-point code on improving Party and government conduct by accepting money, gifts and arrangements for banquets and tourist activities to seek special treatment, sought gains for others in the selection and promotion of officials, and traded power and money for sex.

He interfered with the people's right to decision-making for production and management, as well as judicial and law-enforcement activities, was long addicted to gambling, took advantage of his positions to benefit others in project contracting and approval for large sums of money and valuables in return, and abused his power, causing major losses in public property and the interests of the country and the people.

These actions have gravely breached Party discipline and constitute serious duty-related offenses, the official statement said, adding that Li is also suspected of the crimes of accepting bribes and abuse of power.

In line with Party regulations and laws, a decision has been made to expel Li from the Party, remove him from public office, terminate his qualification as a delegate to the CPC Guizhou provincial congress, and confiscate his illicit gains.

The case will be referred to the procuratorate for criminal investigation and prosecution, according to the official statement.