Liu, once the deputy director of the influential National Development and Reform Commission, lost his party and government posts.
Expulsion from the party is normally a precursor to criminal prosecution for Chinese officials.
On Friday, a Hong Kong newspaper reported that China will launch a corruption investigation into one of the country’s most powerful politicians of the last decade.
The probe of former security tsar Zhou Yongkang was reported by the South China Morning Post, which cited “sources familiar with the leadership’s thinking”.
Zhou is a recently retired member of the party’s Politburo Standing Committee, its top body and would be the highest-ranking official to be investigated for decades.
Sunday’s report comes after the high-profile trial of Bo which ended on Monday.
Analysts widely believe that a guilty verdict for Bo who once ran the southwestern megacity of Chongqing and was one of the 25 highest-ranking members of the ruling party is a foregone conclusion and that he likely faces a long prison sentence.
The Global Times newspaper, which has close ties to the party, reported Wednesday that China’s leaders will gather in November for a key meeting on economic reforms.
Zhang, the Nomura economist, said that the probe into Jiang had mixed implications for China’s economy.
“Anti corruption cases will probably lead to a reshuffling of senior officials, which may delay some government activity,” he wrote.
“However, we believe it is a long term positive because it shows the new leadership is on track to establishing its authority, which is a necessary condition for implementing tough structural reforms.”
About The Author
