Beijing village official removed over son's lavish wedding

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A Communist Party village official in a Beijing suburb has been removed from office for arranging a lavish wedding for his son, local authorities said Tuesday.

Ma Linxiang, deputy chief of Qingheying Village Committee in the Beijing suburbs, hosted a three-day wedding during October's week-long National Day holiday, according to sources with the discipline inspection committee of Beijing's Chaoyang District, which administers the village.

One of the wedding banquets was held on Sunday at the China National Convention Center, one of the main 2008 Beijing Olympic venues, and famous performers were invited to appear at the banquet, the sources said.

The extravagant wedding has caused negative social effects and has violated the government's rule opposing extravagance and waste, according to the district's discipline watchdog.

Ma said in an interview that he spent over 200,000 yuan (32,660 U.S. dollars) to treat villagers and friends to two days of banquets in the village, and the rest of the expenses were paid by his daughter-in-law's parents.

An initial investigation has so far revealed no evidence that Ma was involved in embezzlement.

Further investigation is under way.

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