CPC Central Committee endorses Sun Zhengcai's expulsion

BEIJING -- The Seventh Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) endorsed Saturday a decision made by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to expel Sun Zhengcai and eleven other senior Party officials from the CPC.

Sun, former secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, was removed from his Party post and put under investigation in July this year.

Ensuing investigation found that Sun had betrayed Party principles and lost political stance, ignoring the Party code of conduct and rules.

He was found to have seriously violated the CPC's eight-point code on frugality and maintaining close ties with the masses, seeking pomp, ostentation and privileges.

In addition, Sun was held accountable for nepotism and seeking benefits in selection of officials. He was found to have leaked confidential Party information and seriously breached Party rules on integrity.

He took advantage of his power and influence to seek benefits for others, accepted a "huge amount" of money and gifts in return, sought substantial benefits for his relatives' businesses and accepted valuable gifts.

Also, the investigators accused Sun of bureaucracy and sloth in work and degradation and power-for-sex trades in life.

Last month, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee expelled Sun from the Party and dismissed him from public office.

Sun leads a long list of 12 names, all former senior CPC officials whose expulsion from the Party were endorsed at the plenum.

They include Huang Xingguo, Sun Huaishan, Wu Aiying, Su Shulin, Wang Sanyun, Xiang Junbo, Wang Jianping, Tian Xiusi, Li Yunfeng, Yang Chongyong and Mo Jiancheng.

The meeting also endorsed punishment on another three officials. Li Liguo and Yang Huanning were placed on two-year probation within the Party and Zhang Xiwu was removed from his Party post.