China official probed for 'disciplinary violations': Media

BEIJING (AFP) - A vice chairman of a top political body has come under investigation for "disciplinary violations", state media reported on Saturday, as authorities pursue a high-profile crackdown on official corruption.

Su Rong "is being probed for suspected disciplinary violations", the official news agency Xinhua said, citing the ruling Communist Party's anti-graft watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Such violations typically refer to graft, although details about Su's circumstances were not provided.

Su is one of 23 vice chairs of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a debating chamber that is part of the Communist Party-controlled governmental structure.

He took the post during a power handover in March 2013 which saw President Xi Jinping and many other new government leaders take office.

The CPPCC plays a largely symbolic role, with members meeting once a year to discuss social and economic policies, among them wealthy business leaders and members of powerful political families.

Communist Party leaders who took power in late 2012 have repeatedly pledged to crack down on widespread official corruption - a source of deep public discontent - vowing to go after both high-ranking "tigers" and low-level "flies".

A wide swathe of officials have since come under investigation, but analysts say that without systematic changes the effort is unlikely to root out corruption fundamentally.

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