Zhao Kun, Deputy General Manager of China's Baosteel Group, was removed from his position on Tuesday, according to a statement on its website .

Zhao, 59, will be lowered by one rank to a new post that will be determined separately, the statement said.

He was the second senior official to be removed in the past six months. In March, Baosteel's vice president, Cui Jian, was under investigation for "serious disciplinary violations".

Zhao was also asked to return money he misused to the group, the statement said.

The decision came after government inspectors investigated him starting from March 1 till April 30.

The investigation was part of the ongoing anti-corruption campaign targeting 26 major state-owned firms for inspections this year.