China provincial official expelled from CPC

Guo Yongxiang, a former senior Sichuan province offical

Liu Tienan, former vice-director of the National Development and Reform Commission

BEIJING - Guo Youming, former vice governor of central China's Hubei Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) for "serious disciplinary violations."

The decision was made by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and approved by the CPC Central Committee, the CCDI announced on Tuesday.

A CCDI investigation into Guo's suspected legal and disciplinary transgressions found that he took advantage of his position to seek benefits for others, received "a huge amount" of money or gifts either by himself, his family members or other specific related persons, according to a CCDI statement.

He is "morally corrupt," the statement said.

Guo's suspected crime of taking bribes will be transferred to judicial authorities, it said.

Guo, a native of Hubei province, was born in 1956. He was elected vice governor of the province in January 2013.