When Zhang Xiaochuan, the former director of the Radio, Film and Television Bureau of Chongqing Municipality, came under questioning for embezzlement and accepting bribes last year, he revealed that one of his accessories was his superior, Zhang Zonghai.

He said that he and Zhang Zonghai, director of the Publicity Department of Chongqing Municipal Party Committee, took several gambling excursions to Macao together. The pair used nearly 200 million yuan (US$24.1 million) in public funds as their stake, losing more than 100 million yuan (US$12.0 million) at the Lisboa Casino.

When Zhang Zonghai was placed under detention last month by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC), he was found to have in his possession some 9 million yuan (US$1.1 million) worth of private property. He could not explain how he had acquired it.

Under questioning by the discipline inspection commission, Zhang Zonghai revealed that he had accepted the property and money in bribes during his term as party secretary of Chongqing's Qianjiang Prefecture, the post he held before being promoted to head the Publicity Department in May 2002.

The 54-year-old Zhang Zonghai is the highest official to be detained for economic crimes in Chongqing Municipality. He has been removed from his position.

(Strait News, translated by Li Liangdu for china.org.cn, July 6, 2004)