The president and vice-chairman of Sinopec, the Chinese petrochemical group, has been detained by Communist party investigators on suspicion of “serious violations of discipline and the law”, a phrase that is usually used to indicate allegations of corruption.
Wang Tianpu, the second-highest ranked official in the state-owned Sinopec Group, has been president of the conglomerate since 2011.
The investigation into Mr Wang was announced yesterday on the website of China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Communist party’s all-powerful, extralegal internal anti-corruption organ. The commission has the power to hold and interrogate party members indefinitely.