Party meeting expels former senior officials

The fifth plenary session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China endorsed prior decisions on Thursday to revoke the membership of 10 former officials, including Ling Jihua.

A former vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, Ling was found to have seriously violated the political discipline and rules of the CPC, taken advantage of his posts to seek profits for others, and accepted huge bribes.

Others on the expulsion list were Zhou Benshun, Yang Dongliang, Zhu Mingguo, Wang Min, Chen Chuanping, Qiu He, Yang Weize, Pan Yiyang and Yu Yuanhui. Their violations include abuse of power, bribery, embezzling public funds, and leaking State secrets, according to previous statements from the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the top anti-graft body.