Former Haibei deputy Party chief Zhang Aihong expelled from Party and public office

Zhang Aihong (张爱红), former deputy secretary of the Communist Party committee of Haibei Prefecture in Qinghai province and former secretary of its political and legal affairs commission, has been expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office, the Qinghai Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission said on October 9. China News Service, Jiemian and Xinhua carried the announcement; Jiemian cited a notice on the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Supervisory Commission, and Xinhua referred to the area as Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]

With the approval of the CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee, the provincial commission opened a case to review and investigate Zhang for serious violations of discipline and law. According to the announcement, Zhang lost ideals and convictions, was disloyal and dishonest to the Party, had a misplaced view of political performance, deliberately resisted the organisation's review and engaged in superstitious activities. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]

The commission said Zhang disregarded the central eight-point rules by accepting gifts, cash gifts and shopping cards that could affect the impartial performance of official duties, and by accepting banquets from people under Zhang's management and services. It said Zhang failed to truthfully report personal matters, sought benefits for others in the selection and appointment of cadres, engaged in for-profit activities in violation of rules, used the position to benefit relatives and kept classified documents in violation of rules. It also said Zhang used the position to seek benefits for others in areas including the contracting of engineering projects and illegally accepted huge amounts of money and property. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]

The commission concluded that Zhang seriously violated the Party's political, organisational, integrity and work discipline, committed serious duty-related violations and is suspected of bribery, and did not restrain such conduct after the Party's 18th National Congress. It described the case as serious in nature and bad in its impact, and said it should be dealt with severely. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]

After a meeting of the standing committee of the Qinghai discipline commission, and with the approval of the CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee, it was decided to expel Zhang from the Party, while the Qinghai Supervisory Commission dismissed Zhang from public office. Zhang's illegal gains are to be confiscated, and the suspected crimes have been transferred to the procuratorate for review and prosecution, together with the money and property involved. The decision cited the CPC regulations on disciplinary actions, the Supervision Law and the Law on Governmental Sanctions for Public Officials, among other rules. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]