CPC meeting confirms expulsion of 4 former officials

BEIJING -- The sixth plenary session of the 18th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Thursday endorsed prior decisions to expel four former senior officials from the Party, according to a communique issued after the four-day meeting.

Former Party chief of Liaoning Province and senior national legislator Wang Min, and former Beijing deputy Party chief Lyu Xiwen were on expulsoin list. As were former senior military officials Fan Changmi and Niu Zhizhong.

Wang was found responsible for serious electoral fraud, including vote buying, according to the country's anti-graft watchdog, which added that Wang had openly objected to and violated frugality rules, and then attempted to evade the investigation against him, according to an earlier statement from the anti-corruption body.

Lyu's Party discipline violations included taking advantage of her post to seek profits for others, voicing groundless criticism against the Party line and hindering investigations, among others.

Previous decisions to strip them of their membership were made by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. According to the CPC Constitution, a decision to expel a member or alternate member of the Central Committee must be officially approved by a two thirds majority vote at a plenary meeting of the Party committee to which he or she belongs.

The plenum deliberated and passed a report filed by the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) on the "serious disciplinary violations" of Wang and Lyu, according to the communique.

The communique said the plenum also deliberated and passed a report filed by the Central Military Commission on the "serious disciplinary violations" of Fan and Niu.

Corrupt officials ranging from low-level "flies" to high-ranking "tigers" have been ousted since late 2012, when the Chinese leadership vowed an all-out war on corruption.

Dozens of senior officials have been investigated or sent to prison thanks to the ongoing anti-graft campaign, including Zhou Yongkang, Bo Xilai and Ling Jihua.