SHANGHAI -- Chinese authorities are investigating a top official of the country's largest oil and gas producer for "discipline violations", state media said Monday, using a term that typically refers to corruption.
The Communist Party's graft watchdog was investigating Wang Yongchun, a vice president of state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), the official Xinhua news agency reported.
The brief report gave no details of the allegations against Wang, beyond saying he was suspected of "severe" violations of party discipline.
Wang is also general manager of the Daqing Oilfield Co., which manages China's largest oilfield. He is one of five vice presidents of CNPC.
The announcement came as the trial of disgraced politician Bo Xilai for bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power ended after five days of hearings.
Chinese president Xi Jinping has vowed to crack down on corruption at all levels of the government, calling graft a threat to the future of the ruling Communist party.
But critics say a significant effort to reduce corruption would require increased transparency from the ultra-secretive party, as well as a loosening of controls on the media and courts.
Wang, a senior petroleum engineer, became general manager of the Daqing company in 2009 and a CNPC vice president in 2011.
He has over 30 years experience in the industry, earlier working at another oil field in the northeastern province of Jilin..
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2013
