Anhui Deputy Governor He Minxu, who has been held in custody for several months, has had his Party membership revoked and been sacked from his post for taking bribes and abusing his powers.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China found He guilty of taking bribes worth several million yuan, Anhui Daily reported yesterday.

According to the newspaper, He abused his powers by offering cheap land use, tax cuts and job promotions to people who paid him bribes.

He was also alleged to live a "villainous life," it said. "He's suspected crimes will be handled by judicial organizations," it was reported. He is the latest corrupt high-ranking official to be exposed during this year's anti-corruption campaign.

In late September, Shanghai Communist Party Secretary Chen Liangyu was sacked for diverting pension funds into illegal investments, helping enrich companies and his relatives.

The latest scandal involves the alleged illicit investment of at least a third of the city's 10-billion-yuan (US$1.2 billion) social security fund in potentially risky real estate and road projects, reports said.

In a bid to tighten discipline over officials, particularly those in senior positions, the central government issued a rule in August requiring them to report personal business matters including all property transactions and developments by them or their immediate family members.

The rule bans officials from holding posts that control or supervise an industry or enterprise in which their family members hold shares, reports said.

Earlier this year the State Council and the Party's discipline body announced that clamping down on commercial bribery would be the focus of anti-corruption efforts for some time to come.

Gong Weibin, a scholar with the National School of Administration, said the ongoing anti-graft campaign had revealed the challenges the Party was facing as it goes through a crucial period of social development.

"Corruption is not unique to China," said Gong "It also afflicts developed countries and sometimes leads to the downfall of governments. It's necessary to take an iron fist and crack corruption otherwise the Party could lose public support or even the support of ordinary Party members."

(China Daily November 6, 2006)