Around 30 NPC deptuies, CPPCC members expelled over four years

Source: Xinhuanet | 03-01-2007 08:40

BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese lawmakers and four political advisors' memberships were terminated on Wednesday, bringing the total number of ousted deputies and members of the country's top legislature and advisory body in recent four years to around 30.

The decisions were made ahead of the last annual plenary sessions of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) and the 10thNational Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), slated for March 5 and 3.

The current NPC has nearly 3,000 deputies and the CPPCC National Committee has more than 2,000 members, who hold a five-year tenure.

Allegedly involved in corruption or economic violations, the seven disgraced former political elites included two former ministerial-level officials, namely Qiu Xiaohua, former head of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and Zheng Xiaoyu, former director of the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).

They may face other punishment and criminal penalties.

CPPCC member Qiu, already sacked from his administrative post and expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC), was suspected to be involved in a social security fund fraud in Shanghai, which led to the downfall of the city's Party chief Chen Liangyu last year.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said Qiu had taken bribes from enterprise owners, led a dissolute life and committed the crime of bigamy when he served as a leader of the NBS.

Zheng, also CPPCC member, allegedly abused the drug administration's approval authority by taking bribes and turned a blind eye to malpractice by relatives and subordinate officials.

Premier Wen Jiabao in January this year ordered a thorough investigation into the corruption allegations against Zheng.

During the past four years, at least 24 NPC deputies were expelled from the national parliament for graft and other law and discipline breaches, including former deputy commander of the navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Wang Shouye and provincial chief procurators and top judges of Jiangxi, Heilongjiang and Hunan provinces.

Eye-catching names on the dismissed CPPCC members list over the past four years included former vice governors of Sichuan and Henan provinces Li Dachang and Lu Debin, and former chairwoman of the CPPCC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee Han Guizhi, who was given death penalty with a two-year reprieve.

They were expelled for taking briberies and other discipline breaches.