Two NPC members detained after Liang Hui concludes

BEIJING - Less than one hour after Liang Hui China’s "lianghui" (joint sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) closed with a press conference held by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, a message appeared on the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) website saying that Qiu He, deputy Communist Party head of Yunnan Province and member of the National People’s Congress (NPC), had become the subject of an inquiry into “serious discipline and law violations”.

Not long after that, a separate message appeared saying Xu Jianyi, Chairman of State-owned First Automobile Works Group Corp (FAW), which is partnered with Toyota Motors and Volkswagen AG, also became the subject of a graft inquiry.

Xu is the second top executive of a central government-owned enterprise to be investigated since the Communist Party held its 18th National Congress in late 2012. Some expressed surprise at Qiu’s detention, but others say he has been in trouble since late February. www.webershandwick.cn (ATI).