Huo Ke, China's Former Deputy Director Of Tourism, Expelled From Party For Corruption, Leaking State Secrets

ChinaTourism_ForbiddenCity — Huo Ke, former deputy director of the China National Tourism Administration, is the latest senior Chinese official to be accused of corruption. Pictured: Tourists visit the Forbidden City on a sunny day in central Beijing on Aug. 4, 2015. Reuters/Jason Lee

Huo Ke, a former deputy director of tourism in China, was expelled from the ruling Communist Party after being accused of corruption and leaking party and state secrets, state-run news agency Xinhua reported Wednesday. Huo was with the China National Tourism Administration and is the latest addition to the list of senior officials caught in President Xi Jinping's ongoing crackdown on corruption.

China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the party's anti-corruption watchdog, said, in a statement, that Huo "accepted gifts, took advantage of his position to select and appoint cadres" and "sought benefits for others," Reuters reported. Huo also reportedly attempted to interfere in the investigation against him.

"For his personal career advancement, he bribed others and leaked party and state secrets," the CCDI reportedly said, without giving further details about who the secrets were leaked to. It was not known if Huo, who is now likely to face trial, has legal representation yet.

Prior to joining the tourism administration in December, Huo was head of the secretariat of the party's General Office, Reuters reported, citing his official biography on the party's news website. The time Huo spent at this post also coincided with that of Ling Jihua, a former senior aide to retired president Hu Jintao. Ling is scheduled to be prosecuted for corruption.

Xi's anti-corruption campaign, which began in 2013, has led to the arrest of several high-level “tigers” and local “flies.”

On Monday, a former senior officer Gu Junshan, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by a Chinese military court for corruption, Reuters reported. On Friday, the country’s anti-corruption body said it will also prosecute former regulatory official Li Liang for allegedly accepting bribes. The same day, Gu Chunli, vice governor of the northeastern Jilin province, was also terminated from his post after a graft investigation.

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