China Baosteel executive demoted for 'integrity' violation

Part of Chinese government move to crack down on corruption

BEIJING (Reuters) — A top executive of China's Baosteel Group, the parent of Baoshan Iron & Steel, is being demoted for violations of "integrity" and "self discipline," the company said on Tuesday.

Deputy general manager Zhao Kun will be lowered by one rank to a new post that will be determined separately, the company said in a statement on its website, citing a government decision to remove Zhao from his Party role.

In March, China's corruption watchdog said Baosteel's vice president, Cui Jian, was under investigation for "serious disciplinary violations".

China's ruling Communist Party has targeted 26 major state-owned firms for inspections this year, including China National Petroleum Corporation, Sinopec Group, ChinaNational Offshore Oil Corp, Shenhua Group, China National Nuclear Corp, China Southern Power Grid and China Power Investment Corp.

President Xi Jinping has pushed a sweeping crackdown on corruption since taking power more than two years ago.

Xi, like others before him, warned that the problem was so severe it could affect the party's ability to maintain power.

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