China's former Politburo Standing Committee Member Zhou Yongkang was arrested for corruption in Dec. 2014, so even if the proposal passes, it will not apply to him. (Photo : Reuters)
Since President Xi Jinping's appointment to Beijing's top office, his no-tolerance stance against corruption within any of China's governmental ranks--regardless of seniority or status--has become widespread knowledge.
The Chinese leader remains relentless in his mission as 2015 warms up, saying that "strong remedies must be continuously used to cure the illness," and such strength appears to be working, as yet another senior official has been placed under investigation.
The news that Si Xinliang, the former vice chairman of the Zhejiang provincial committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, is under investigation for "suspected serious discipline and law violations" was announced by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) on Monday.
According to the CCDI, an investigation of Si became warranted a number of months after a team of inspection officials who were sent to Zhejiang by the disciplinary commission reported back to the watchdog with issues of significant concern.
The scrutiny being placed upon Si is a further reaffirmation of the president's refusal to tread more lightly in matters where an individual's prominence is concerned.
Additionally, President Xi asserted in June of 2014 that preferential treatment would not be accorded to locations where senior government officials once worked. Not only have numerous senior Party members and official leaders previously worked in Zhejiang, but the president held the office of Party secretary of Zhejiang Province between 2002 and 2007.
Si has been called the anti-graft campaign's first "big tiger" in Zhejiang.
Meanwhile, the People's Daily WeChat account informed followers that the Beijing and Shanghai municipalities, Jilin and Fujian provinces and the Tibet, Ningxia Hui and Xinjiang autonomous regions are the seven remaining regions in which officials above provincial level have not been snared in the president's net.
