China: Top economic official sacked in latest move in corruption crackdown

A former top economic official in China has been expelled from the Communist Party and removed from public office, according to state media. According to Xinhua news agency, Liu Tienan - formerly deputy head of the National Development of Reform Commission - "accepted huge amounts of bribes",with Xinhua also reporting that Mr Liu "took advantage of his position to seek profits for others", adding he had accepted "cash and gifts". Allegations against Liu Tienan first emerged online in December, when a well-known journalist accused him of being involved in questionable finance deals, said he had fabricated his academic record, and had threatened to kill a former mistress. In May, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection began investigating Mr Liu for suspected "serious disciplinary violations", and the move to expel him comes amid a high-profile crackdown on corruption. In June, Lei Zhenfgu - a former official - was jailed for accepted bribes, and in July Railways Minister Liu Zhijun was given a suspended death sentence for corruption and the abuse of power. Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed for a crackdown on corruption, vowing to tackle it from the powerful "tigers" at the top to the "flies" at the bottom of the communist party.