(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-10-12 18:31

BEIJING -- The Seventh Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Friday endorsed the decision made by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee of expelling former Shanghai party chief Chen Liangyu from the CPC.

The meeting reviewed and approved the investigation report on the case of Chen, former secretary of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, handed over by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee decided to expelling Chen, 61, from the party on July 26 after the CCDI's investigation into a social security fund scandal.

The meeting also endorsed the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee's decision of expelling Du Shicheng, former deputy secretary of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the (CPC), from the party.

Du, 57, also former secretary of the Qingdao Municipal CPC Committee in Shandong, was expelled for taking huge bribes and leading a dissolute life.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection began investigating Du's case last December.

Du was dismissed from all administrative posts. He took advantage of his posts to make profits for other people, took bribes worth millions of yuan with his mistress, and led a dissolute life, according to the CCDI statement.

"Du's abuse of public power, bribe-taking and dissolute lifestyle seriously violated Party disciplines," it said.

The Seventh Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee was held from October 9 to 12 in Beijing.

The CCDI also closed its two-day eighth Plenary Session here Friday, pledging to strengthen efforts to curb corruption.

Although the country's efforts against corruption and graft have taken effect, it must be fully realized that anti-corruption is a "long-term, complicated and tough battle," said the communique released by CCDI after the meeting.

The CCDI will stick to the guideline of curbing graft by both penalty and preventive measures and focusing more on prevention, the document said.

While intensifying punishment of corrupt officials, efforts will be made to close loopholes in policies and systems so as to stem corruption at the source, it said.

More efforts should be made to educate officials about the Party tradition and make them keep close relationship with the people, it said.