Authorities in Zhejiang province are still trying to find out why a Wenzhou Party official has failed to return from a business trip to France, the Beijing-based International Herald Leader reported over the weekend.

Yang Xianghong, Party chief of Wenzhou's Lucheng district, headed a business delegation on Sept 16 to Switzerland, Austria and France.

The newspaper said his whereabouts remains unclear, quoting unidentified "reliable sources".

His delay in returning has prompted speculation that he has fled the country to escape corruption charges

An investigation team headed by a deputy secretary at the Zhejiang provincial discipline department has arrived in Wenzhou. It is being assisted by local discipline offices.

Yang could be removed from his Party membership and his public duties if he is found to have violated laws or Party discipline, the provincial discipline department told the newspaper.

There are rumors in Wenzhou the 52-year-old was questioned by disciplinary officials three days before his departure.

Yang, also a member of the standing committee of the Party's Wenzhou city committee, told his delegation he needed to stay a little longer with his daughter in Paris because of a reoccurring back problem.

Last month, Wenzhou sent a team of four, including Party leaders and a physician to Paris, to persuade Yang to return, but failed.

In a phone conversation, Yang told the team he needed to stay in Paris for medical treatment, and it was not a convenient time for a meeting.

Yang had back surgery in April last year. He had reportedly confided to some of his peers that he wanted to step down due to "health reasons and because some people were against him".

In 2003, Yang Xiuzhu, Wenzhou's vice-mayor, fled abroad to escape punishment for corruption and remains at large.

Xin Weiming, deputy governor of Shanghai's Luwan district who also overstayed his business trip to France, returned to the city on Saturday.

(China Daily November 11, 2008)