China’s anti-corruption campaign has targeted a former state security chief and a one-time Politburo member, who is now facing arrest after being sacked from the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Global Times reported that the decision to expel Zhou Yongkang, a former member of the Standing
Committee of the Political Bureau was taken on Friday by the Politburo of the CPC. Zhou is the highest-ranking official probed for corruption since 1949.
The daily said that the meeting also decided to transfer Zhou’s suspected criminal case to the judicial organs for legal prosecution.
The Supreme People's Procuratorate opened an investigation into Zhou's suspected crimes and decided to arrest him.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported that Zhou has severely violated party discipline and traded influence in return for money, took a large amount in bribes both directly and through family members, helped his family, mistresses, and friends to illegally profit through commercial activities and caused a huge loss of state-owned assets. He is also said to have leaked party and national secrets, and committed adultery with multiple women, using his power to trade for sex. His actions have seriously damaged the party's image.
Zhaou’s fall from grace, follows an energetic anti-corruption campaign launched by President Xi Jinping, who has promised to target “tigers” and “flies”— a reference to mighty top officials and as well as junior bureaucrats.
The “tigers” who have been hit include Xu Caihou, a general, who was once the vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission, of which Mr. Xi is the head. Mr. Xu has already lost his CPC membership and is expected to face prosecution for allegedly trading military promotions for bribes.
Analysts say that the President’s anti-corruption drive will lead to his political consolidation within the CPC ranks. But supporters point out that the anti-corruption purge is also central to the fulfilment of Mr. Xi’s trademark “Chinese Dream” project.
The President has described the Dream as “national rejuvenation, improvement of people’s livelihoods, prosperity, construction of a better society and military strengthening.”
