CPC expels former Sichuan political advisor

Li Chongxi, former top political advisor in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and removed from public office following a graft investigation, the Party's top disciplinary watchdog announced Thursday.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) found that Li abused his power to benefit others and accepted "a huge amount in bribes" via his relatives, the CCDI announced in a statement on its website on Thursday.

The decision has been approved by the CPC Central Committee, said the statement.

"These acts have seriously violated CPC discipline and Li is suspected of committing crimes," the statement said.

The CPC also decided to transfer Li's case to the judicial organ, it added.

Also on Thursday, the Supreme People's Procuratorate announced that prosecutors are investigating Li's suspected bribe-taking crimes. The two statements provided no other details.

Li formerly served as chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's political advisory body.

He was put under investigation in late December last year, following the probe into Li Chuncheng, former deputy Party chief of Sichuan in December 2012 and Guo Yongxiang, former vice governor of Sichuan in June 2013, all provincial-level officials.

He was sacked from the position in January this year.

All three senior officials were considered to be key protégés of former security chief Zhou Yongkang, whose investigation was officially announced on July 29, and instantly becoming a focal point in the sweeping anti-graft campaign launched by President Xi Jinping in November 2012.

Sichuan Province is one of the three major power bases in Zhou's network. He served as Party chief of Sichuan Province from 1999 to 2002 before being appointed minister of public security.

During his tenure, Li was promoted to deputy Party chief and secretary of the discipline inspection commission of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, according to his official biography.