Chinese municipal legislator investigated for corruption

BEIJING (REUTERS) - A legislator in the central Chinese city of Chongqing is under investigation for graft, the ruling Communist Party's top anti-graft body said on Saturday, the latest official to fall in China's fight against corruption.

President Xi Jinping has made tackling widespread corruption a central goal of his administration, saying that the problem could threaten Communist Party rule.

Tan Xiwei, deputy director of Chongqing's People's Congress Standing Committee, is suspected of "serious violation of discipline and laws", which is Party parlance for engaging in corrupt activities. The party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection made the announcement on its website.

Chongqing was once run by Bo Xilai, a former high-flying politician who was jailed for life last year for a range of crimes including corruption.

Tan served with Bo for several years, Chinese media reported. He served as Chongqing's vice mayor from 2006 to 2013.

Tan also worked on projects related to the Three Gorges dam, according to Chinese media reports, including overseeing the relocation of local residents.

China's Three Gorges Corp., which built the world's biggest hydropower scheme, is embroiled in its own corruption scandal that has seen several executives sacked on charges of nepotism, shady property deals and rigged bidding procedures.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.