CPC expels media exec over UK 'green card'

A State newspaper manager has been found to have permanent residence in the United Kingdom along with his family, violating China's regulation that official media management are not allowed to obtain such status in other countries.

Tang Dongning, former deputy president of the Beijing-based newspaper Science and Technology Daily, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and removed from his post, according to the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The paper is affiliated to and administered by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

He was found by discipline officials to illegally have gained permanent residence in the UK. He has also helped his spouse and children obtain residential status.

The CCDI, China's top graft-buster, revealed the case on Friday on its website. The case will be investigated further, the website said.

The statement said Tang had seriously violated Party discipline for not reporting his UK status to his supervisor and the ministry. In addition, he concealed the residential status of his spouse and children even though the newspaper requires its management to report all information about their families. Moreover, Tang did not get permission to go abroad on several occasions.

The CCDI has sent discipline officials to ministries and departments under the State Council in an anti-graft campaign that has cracked down on a large number of corrupt officials during the past two and a half years.

Tang had an official status and enjoyed treatment similar to government officials. His case was discovered by the discipline authority the CCDI dispatched to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

China doesn't recognize dual citizenship for its residents and the CPC prohibits its members from dual citizenship to show loyalty to the Party and the country.

"Maybe Tang is the first one to be found having residential status although many other officials have helped their families get overseas IDs in previous cases," said Xia Xueluan, a visiting professor at Sanya University in Hainan province.