Watchdog leads fight on adultery

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At least six senior officials have been punished as of Tuesday on allegations they committed adultery as the country's top anti- graft watchdog begins its crackdown on "moral corruption".

The most recent official to be punished is Yang Baohua, former vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Hunan Provincial Committee - Hunan's top political advisory body – who was expelled on Tuesday from the Communist Party of China.

Disciplinary authorities found that the 67-year-old had taken bribes, wielded his power for the benefit of others and committed adultery, according to a statement by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Judicial authorities are currently investigating the allegations against Yang. The CCDI did not provide any further details about the allegations, nor did it reveal with whom Yang committed adultery.

He is the sixth senior official accused by the CCDI of committing adultery since early June.

On June 7, the CCDI announced that Party members are governed by rules that are stricter than the country's laws and that Party members must have high moral standards. It also said that officials who commit adultery and leave a negative social impression could be removed from their posts and stripped of their Party membership. Though adultery is not forbidden under China’s laws, such behavior is now forbidden under CPC rules.

The CCDI's June 7 statement came after Dai Chunning, former deputy general manager of China Export and Credit Insurance Corp, a State-owned enterprise, was expelled from the Party over allegations of embezzlement, accepting bribes and adultery.

（中國日報(bào)網(wǎng)英語點(diǎn)津 Julie 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.