BEIJING (Reuters): China's Communist Party has expelled former agriculture minister Tang Renjian, state media reported on Friday, six months after he was placed under investigation by the country's anti-graft watchdog and removed from his post.
Tang, 61, was investigated for "serious violations of discipline and law", a euphemism for corruption, and removed from the leadership roster of the ministry's website in May.
The move to investigate Tang was unusually swift and follows similar investigations on defence minister Li Shangfu and his predecessor Wei Fenghe as China cracks down on corruption.
Tang was found to have accepted gifts and money in violation of regulations, accepting property in the selection and appointment of cadres, using his authority to provide assistance to his relatives' business activities, and interfering in judicial activities, state media CCTV reported.
"Tang Renjian lost his ideals and beliefs, abandoned his original mission," CCTV reported.
President Xi Jinping has pursued a tough and sweeping anti-graft campaign since taking power in 2012 and earlier this year declared "overwhelming victory" in the crackdown while vowing to keep up the pressure.
Xi views his anti-corruption drive as a key political achievement, but critics say the campaign has been used to purge his political opponents and does not address the root causes of graft, such as low wages and the unchecked powers of party-appointed state officials.
Tang was governor of the western province of Gansu from 2017 to 2020 before being named minister of agriculture and rural affairs, according to official biographies.
Under Tang, the agriculture and rural affairs ministry had stepped up its food security policies, approving the use of genetically-modified crops and adopting a food security law.
China appointed veteran official Han Jun, 60, as the new head of the ministry in September.
(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Ros Russell) - Reuters
