Former vice Anhui governor expelled from CPC, public office

BEIJING, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Chen Shulong, former vice governor of east China's Anhui Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office for actions including "superstitious activities" and trading power for sex, an official statement said Tuesday.

Chen was found to "completely lack political beliefs," to have severely violated the Party's code of conduct and rules and to have long abused his power to seek "huge profits," according to a statement from the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

"Chen was driven by a lust for power and money, and his outlook on the world, life and values were severely twisted," it said.

The CCDI said that not only had Chen refused to cooperate in the Party's investigation, he had engaged in superstitious activities on numerous occasions, used public funds for his own recreational activities, and falsified personal information submitted to Party organs.

Chen traded power for sex and money, and crossed the moral bottom line, said the statement. He also connived with his relatives, allowing them to use his influence to seek "huge profits" for themselves.

According to the statement, Chen was found to have intervened in market economic activities and judicial affairs.

Chen accepted gifts and money, used his influence to seek benefits for others, and is suspected of having taken a huge sum of bribes, the CCDI said. He is also suspected of abusing power, causing heavy losses of public funds.

"As a high-level official, Chen was politically clinging to power, economically insatiable and morally bankrupt. Even after the 18th CPC National Congress, he still showed no sign of restraint and [his wrongdoings] were of a grave nature," said the statement.

Chen will not serve as a delegate to the Party's 18th National Congress.

Sanctions against Chen have been approved by the CPC Central Committee.

Chen's illegal gains will be confiscated and his case transferred to the judiciary, it added.

Chen was put under investigation for "serious discipline breaches" by the CCDI on April 7.