Party expels ex-forestry and grassland head

Zhang Jianlong, former head of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China for severely violating Party discipline and breaching national laws, the country's top anti-corruption authorities announced on Monday.

The decision was disclosed by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission in an online statement.

Zhang, who also served as a member of the Party group of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Party secretary of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, was placed under investigation by the commissions in January.

The investigation found that Zhang held a distorted view of governance performance, paying only lip service to the requirements of the CPC Central Committee without implementing them, and resisted organizational inspections.

He accepted gifts and cash and attended banquets in violation of regulations. He also failed to report personal matters as required and did not truthfully explain issues during investigations and inquiries, according to the investigation.

Zhang was discovered to have improperly sought benefits for others in personnel selection, appointment and staff recruitment, developed insatiable greed, abused his power for personal gain and engaged in extensive power-for-money trades.

Additionally, he exploited his positions to secure advantages for others in the approval of forest land occupation and special funds, permits for the utilization of wildlife, and the contracting of engineering projects, in exchange for huge amounts of illicit money and property.

The commissions said the decision to expel Zhang from the Party was made because he seriously violated Party discipline, constituted a serious violation of duty-related laws and was suspected of the crime of bribery. They also confiscated his illicit gains, transferred the suspected criminal issues to procuratorial organs for review and prosecution in accordance with the law, and handed over the involved property along with the case.

Public records show that Zhang, 69, a native of Gansu province, spent decades working in the country's forestry system. In 2018, he became a member of the Party group of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and Party secretary and director of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.