China's Communist Party Friday expelled from its ranks a former contender for a top leadership post for "serious discipline violations" before a major congress due to consolidate President Xi Jinping's power. Politburo member Sun Zhengcai was also dismissed from public office after the Political Bureau of the party's central committee approved an investigative report, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
In a statement issued after Friday's meeting, the party listed his numerous misdeeds, accusing Sun of abusing his position, receiving money and gifts in return for seeking benefits for others and trading power for sex, Xinhua said. He was also accused of nepotism, sloth and leaking confidential party information and betraying party principles.
Sun had also been under investigation by the Communist Party's anti-corruption watchdog. He had already been sacked as party chief in the major southwest city of Chongqing in July, a move that was seen as having implications for the party's twice-a-decade congress, which starts October 18.