Former Shanghai Party chief under "earnest probe"

Former Party chief of Shanghai Chen Liangyu, who is under earnest investigation by the Party's disciplinary watchdog, will be punished severely according to relevant laws and regulations if found guilty, a senior Party official said on Tuesday.

At a press conference of the Information Office of the State Council, Gan Yisheng, secretary-general of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said the decision of the CPC Central Committee to dismiss Chen from the post of secretary of Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPC has received public support.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is investigating Chen's case, which demonstrates the CPC's resolution to build a clean Party and to fight against corruption, Gan said.

"Initial investigations have found that Chen was involved in severe violations of Party discipline," Gan said, adding information as to whether or not there are more people involved will be released through official channels.

"Anyone who violates Party rules or national laws will be severely punished regardless of who they are and what position they hold," Gan added.

"The top leaders of CPC Central Committees are working together to fight against corruption," he said.

"We will continue to make the investigations into the case open to the public. And we should draw lessons from the case and prevent more corruption," Gan said.

Chen was sacked for his involvement in a social security fund scandal, according to a decision by the CPC Central Committee published on Monday.

China has enhanced its anti-corruption efforts in recent years. In 2005, 115,000 party members received disciplinary punishment, accounting for 0.16 percent of the party's total.

Gan said 11,071 of the disciplined members had been expelled from the party, of which 7,279 had been transferred to the judicial authorities for criminal investigations.

Gan said that even though the corrupt Party officials were in the minority, the CPC was still on high alert.

"We will continue to step up our anti-corruption efforts and punish those who violate laws and regulations to safeguard the purity of our party," Gan said.

Source: Xinhua