Top legislature expels former Hebei Party chief

BEIJING - Lawmakers voted on Wednesday to expel Zhou Benshun, former Party chief of north China's Hebei Province, from the National People's Congress following corruption charges.

The expulsion was finalized at the closing meeting of the top legislature's bimonthly session, based on the Deputies Law.

Zhou, also former head of the Standing Committee of Hebei Provincial People's Congress, was expelled from the Communist Party of China and dismissed from public office last month for offenses including graft, speaking against the Party line and hindering an official investigation, according to the top anti-graft body.