China's Minister of Railways, a key figure behind the investment boom in the sector, is under investigation for "serious disciplinary violations", the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday. Xinhua did not provide any details about the probe against Liu Zhijun. The term of "serious disciplinary violations" usually results in criminal charges.
Liu was stripped of his position as communist party chief at the ministry and was replaced by Sheng Guangzu, the head of customs administration. Liu has been China's railway minister since 2003 and has spearheaded the investment drive into the sector over the last decade.
China is in the midst of a massive investment programme to build a faster and bigger railway network. The government plans to spend $120 billion a year in coming years on railway construction. Liu's brother, Liu Zhixiang, was given a suspended death sentence in April 2006 for a long list of crimes, including hiring an assassin, bribery and embezzlement of funds.
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