Two deputies to the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), China's parliament, were expelled on Saturday after being accused of breaking the law.

The lawmakers are Zhu Zhigang, former director of the Budgetary Work Committee of NPC Standing Committee, and Chen Shaoyong, former secretary-general of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.

"Zhu is now under investigation for suspected violations of discipline and law," according to a resolution adopted by members of the NPC Standing Committee as they concluded a six-day session. The resolution didn't specify what the violations were.

In October, the NPC Standing Committee endorsed Zhu's resignation from the position.

Zhu was elected an NPC deputy from northwestern Shaanxi Province.

Chen, an NPC deputy elected from eastern Fujian Province, was "suspected of seriously violating discipline and law as well as taking a huge sum of bribes", according to the resolution.

No charges have been issued as both cases are still under investigation.

Also on Saturday, the NPC Standing Committee approved the membership of two new NPC deputies: Hu Chunhua, acting governor of Hebei Province, and Bater, acting chairman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The two were elected through by-elections of the standing committees of the regional people's congresses respectively.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2008)