Former provincial legislator expelled from CPC, public office

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Song Xibin, a former senior legislator in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of discipline and laws, the country's top anti-graft agency announced Thursday.

An investigation into Song, former deputy director of the Standing Committee of Heilongjiang Provincial People's Congress, found that he resisted investigations into his problems, engaged in superstitious activities, attended banquets and accepted gifts of money against the rules, and traded power and money for sex, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision said in a joint statement.

Other offenses included seeking profit for others in matters concerning the selection and appointment of officials, intervening in judicial affairs against the regulations, and misappropriating a large sum of public funds, the statement said.

In matters concerning the direct interests of the public, he was reluctant to take on responsibility and unwilling to perform his duties, it added.

Song also took advantage of his positions to help others in business operations and securing construction project contracts, and accepted a huge amount of money and valuables in return.

Song severely violated Party discipline and is suspected of taking bribes, misappropriating public funds and serious violations of duty-related laws, the statement said, adding that his case is serious in nature and has had a bad influence.

In line with Party regulations and laws, a decision has been made to expel him from the Party and public office, confiscate his illicit gains, and hand over his case for judicial proceedings.