Former minister dismissed from CPC and public office

Tang Renjian, former minister of agriculture and rural affairs, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and dismissed from public office over serious violations of disciplines and laws, the country's top anti-corruption authorities said on Friday.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision announced the decision after an investigation found that Tang did not implement the central leadership's policies of agricultural affairs, allegedly accepted illegal gifts, money, as well as banquet and travel invitations.

He was also discovered to have made blind decisions amid the whole country's efforts to fight extreme poverty and interfered with judicial affairs, according to the commissions.

In addition, he accepted properties after taking advantage of his positions to seek benefits for his family in business operation and also for others in project contracting and job promotion, the commissions added.

"Tang has severely violated the Party disciplines, and he has been suspected of bribery, so we've decided to remove him from the Party and public office," they said, adding that his membership as a deputy to the 20th CPC National Congress was also terminated.

The commissions noted that they have confiscated Tang's reported illicit gains and his suspected violations of national laws will be transferred to prosecutors for further criminal review and investigation.

Public information shows that Tang, 62, a native of Chongqing, started working in 1983 and joined the Party in 1991.

Before he became the minister of agriculture and rural affairs at the end of 2020, he once served as vice-chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, deputy head of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs and governor of Gansu province.

He was placed under the disciplinary and supervisory investigation in May.