BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Hongshun, former deputy chief of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA), has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the top anti-graft body announced in a statement Friday.
An investigation found that Zhao had lost his ideals and convictions, defied Party discipline and laws, was disloyal and dishonest to the Party and resisted investigation, said the statement by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission.
It said that Zhao received banquets on a long-term and frequent basis, disregarding the Party's discipline.
Taking advantage of his posts, Zhao sought benefits for others in personnel promotion, consorted with illegal private enterprise owners, traded power for money unscrupulously and received gifts and money, gravely damaging the political ecosystem of the tobacco industry, the statement said.
Zhao engaged in profit-driven activities against Party rules, and illegally owned shares of companies, it said.
Zhao severely violated the Party's political discipline and rules on frugality, organization, clean governance, work and life and is suspected of taking bribes, according to the statement.
Zhao, who showed no signs of restraint even after the 18th CPC National Congress, should be harshly punished given the severity and negative influence of his case, it said.
The statement said Zhao's illicit gains would be confiscated and the suspected crimes will be transferred to the procuratorate for further investigation and prosecution.
