A senior official of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has been sacked for accepting bribes, the top Party discipline watchdog announced Thursday.

Chen Shaoyong, a senior official of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, is shown in this undated file photo. Chen has been sacked for accepting bribes, the top Party discipline watchdog announced Thursday. [Xinhua]

Chen Shaoyong was stripped of his CPC membership and expelled from his seat on the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and sacked as secretary-general of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, according to the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) decision.

Chen had been under investigation for "serious" violations of laws and discipline, according to the CCDI.

Investigations showed that Chen had abused his office by accepting large amounts of money and property in return for preferential treatment, CCDI said, without detailing the sums involved.

He was also found to be receiving cash and gifts and living a "corrupt" life, it said.

Chen has been referred to prosecutors and could face criminal charges.

His illegal earnings resulting from violations of disciplines were confiscated, it added.

(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2009)