Gongbei Border Customs top official expelled from post

Deputy Commissioner of the Zhuhai Gongbei Border Customs, Xiong Zhenguo, was expelled from the public office for allegedly violating the “spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation.”

The Eight-point Regulation is a set of regulations, stipulated by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which were first announced in December 2021. Issued by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, the regulation aims to reduce bureaucracy, extravagance and various undesirable work practices of party members.

Xiong Zhenguo, who has been in the post since 2013, was found to have accepted gifts, banquets and travel arrangements, leading to his dismissal from the party. 

Guangdong authorities reportedly began investigating the official in July 2021 for suspected discipline and law violations.

Prior to the investigation, he served as a Commissioner of Zhongshan Customs from 2018 to 2020.

The 52-year-old official underwent a disciplinary review conducted by the State Supervision Commission of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in the General Administration of Customs, as well as by the Guangzhou Supervision Commission, prior to his expulsion.

It is also alleged that he concealed and/or failed to disclose his real estate properties and share ownership in non-listed companies, and that he is also under investigation for interfering with the selection of cadres. 

His case has been transferred to the neighboring region’s public prosecutions office, and any assets and property that were illegally obtained have been seized by authorities. LV