Officials' lavish lifestyles exposed

Three senior officials who have been investigated were found to be living extravagant lifestyles before they were placed under a corruption probe, the top anti-graft watchdog said on Monday.

Wan Qingliang, former Party chief of Guangzhou, was found to have visited private clubs many times, even after anti-graft authorities banned such activities, said Fang Wenbi, an official at the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Fang disclosed the information during an online interview.

Anti-graft officers found that several days before Wan was investigated, he visited a private club where a lavish banquet was held, Fang said.

Wan, 50, was investigated by the commission on June 27 for suspected grave violation of discipline and law. A day before the investigation, he attended a clean-governance meeting and told local officials to be honest in their work.

In another case, Tan Li, former vice-governor of Hainan province, played golf with a private businessman in another province before the commission started to investigate him.

Tan, 59, who was investigated on July 8, worked in Sichuan province for 37 years before being transferred to the Hainan post in 2009.

The commission also found that Han Xiancong, 59, former vice-chairman of the Anhui provincial political advisory body, accepted invitations from government officials and businessmen to attend lavish banquets at luxury hotels and private clubs.

On the day when Han was investigated on July 12, anti-graft officers found from his cellphone that he was supposed to attend two banquets on that day.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn