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China Expels Former Vice Minister of Public Security on Probe

China Expels Former Vice Minister of Public Security on Probe

China expelled Sun Lijun, a former vice minister of public security, from the party following a disciplinary probe, the Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection said. 

Sun was accused of “cultivating personal power and forming an interest group”, the members of which had taken control of a key government department, CCDI said in a statement on its Wechat account on Thursday, without giving further details. Such moves had “severely endangered political security,” it said. 

He was also found to be in dereliction of duty during efforts against Covid outbreaks, and is accused of releasing confidential documents, according to the statement. 

It is not yet clear what charges Sun will face in the court. The results of the disciplinary probe came weeks ahead of a key party plenum that will pave the way for party congress which could extend President Xi Jinping’s term as leader.

China launched a nationwide corruption purge in the country’s law and politics system that covers police, prosecutors and courts in July last year to “thoroughly remove tumors” and make sure the justice system is “absolutely loyal and reliable.”

The campaign, echoing Mao Zedong’s political purge in Yan’an that consolidated his paramount position more than 75 years ago, is expected to last until 2022.

More than 170,000 officials and police officers had been punished as a result of the campaign by the end of July, according to a Central Political and Legal Affairs Committee press conference last month. 
 

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With assistance from Bloomberg