China expels legislator for violating discipline

In this June 18, 2013 photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, China’s President Xi Jinping addresses a conference on the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) campaign aimed at boosting ties between CPC members and the public, in Beijing.

BEIJING — China says it has expelled a member of the national legislature for “serious disciplinary violations” amid a crackdown on corruption ordered by President Xi Jinping.

The National People’s Congress said it took the action against Zhou Wenbin following an investigation. No details were given, although the charge of violating discipline is usually shorthand for bribery, embezzlement, the selling of offices or other forms of corruption.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday that Zhou had been dismissed from his post as president of Nanchang University in the southern province of Guangxi on June 18.

Xi has announced a series of measures to cut down on government waste and corruption since taking over as head of the Communist Party in November. The party usually tightly controls information about specific cases.