(FAN RUJUN)

Liu Zhijun, former Minister of Railways, was placed under investigation due to "serious disciplinary violations," said a report from Xinhua News Agency that quoted the discipline watchdog of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on February 12. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the CPC did not give further details.

Liu, 58, was removed from the post of Party secretary of the ministry. Sheng Guangzu, the 62-year-old former chief of the General Administration of Customs, has been appointed to succeed Liu. Sheng said the ongoing investigation of Liu showed the resolve of the CPC to punish corrupt officials and pursue clean governance.

After assuming the post of minister of railways in 2003, Liu was responsible for the multi billion dollar investment in China's railway network and building high-speed lines.

Liu is the latest in a number of senior officials to be investigated during the country's battle against corruption. A total of 146,517 officials across China were punished for disciplinary violations in 2010, according to the CCDI. Among them, 5,098 were leading officials at the county level or above and 804 of them were prosecuted.