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Top Chinese diplomat being investigated for corruption | Top Chinese diplomat being investigated for corruption |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A senior Chinese diplomat is being investigated for corruption, China's foreign ministry says. | A senior Chinese diplomat is being investigated for corruption, China's foreign ministry says. |
Zhang Kunsheng has been removed from his position as assistant foreign minister and is being probed for "violating discipline", a brief statement from the ministry read. | Zhang Kunsheng has been removed from his position as assistant foreign minister and is being probed for "violating discipline", a brief statement from the ministry read. |
President Xi Jinping has vowed to eradicate corruption in China. | President Xi Jinping has vowed to eradicate corruption in China. |
State media described Mr Zhang as the highest-ranking diplomat to be targeted in the anti-corruption drive. | State media described Mr Zhang as the highest-ranking diplomat to be targeted in the anti-corruption drive. |
The anti-corruption campaign has netted thousands of officials since it began in 2012, among them former security chief Zhou Yongkang in 2014. | The anti-corruption campaign has netted thousands of officials since it began in 2012, among them former security chief Zhou Yongkang in 2014. |
The foreign ministry said Mr Zhang was "suspected of violating discipline", an official euphemism for corruption. | The foreign ministry said Mr Zhang was "suspected of violating discipline", an official euphemism for corruption. |
Mr Zhang, from central Shanxi province, ranks the first out of four assistant foreign ministers. His last public appearance was at a speech he gave at a regional forum in December. | |
Local media said that the investigation into Mr Zhang was suspected to be related to the recent downfall of former senior presidential aide Ling Jihua. | |
The ministry's website also showed Mr Zhang's role as head of the ministry's protocol department, which oversees diplomatic ceremonies, as being taken over by ministry spokesman Qin Gang. | The ministry's website also showed Mr Zhang's role as head of the ministry's protocol department, which oversees diplomatic ceremonies, as being taken over by ministry spokesman Qin Gang. |
China's foreign ministry was also implicated in another scandal last year, when its ambassador to Iceland vanished amid reports that he had been arrested for selling state secrets to Japan. | China's foreign ministry was also implicated in another scandal last year, when its ambassador to Iceland vanished amid reports that he had been arrested for selling state secrets to Japan. |
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