China removes minister, strips ex-party secretary of legislative role

BEIJING: China ousted its minister of emergency management and stripped a former provincial party secretary of his legislative role on Thursday, state media reported, following corruption probes into the pair.

China will kick off its annual legislative meetings known as the “Two Sessions” on Wednesday, drawing thousands of delegates from across the country to Beijing. The Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s top legislature, voted to remove Wang Xiangxi as minister of emergency management after a probe by the country’s anti-corruption watchdog, state broadcaster CCTV reported. They also voted to remove Liu Shaoyun from his position as head of the People’s Liberation Army’s military court, without explaining why.