China's Communist Party expels former CNPC chairman, state media says

China's ruling Communist Party has expelled Wang Yilin, former chairman and party secretary of state-owned China National Petroleum Corp, for discipline violations, state media said on Wednesday.

According to the report by state-run CCTV, Wang had illegally accepted high value assets and goods and took advantage of his position to help others seek benefits in project contracting and business operations.

He also accepted travel arranged by private entrepreneurs on multiple occasions, the report said.

Wang's case will be transferred to prosecutors for investigation in accordance with the law, state media said.

Reuters was unable to immediately contact Wang for a comment.

CNPC said in a statement late on Wednesday that it "firmly supports" the decision, adding that the ruling shows the Party's "zero-tolerance" stance on corruption.

State television reported in February that Wang was under investigation for a suspected "serious violation of law and discipline."

Wang stepped down from his role at CNPC in January 2020 having reached retirement age, according to state-run news website The Paper.

However, he stayed on in his role as deputy director of the economic committee of the China People's Political Consultative Conference, a top advisory body to the Communist Party, according to that report.

Wang is not currently listed as a member of the economic committee on the organization's website, nor was he listed as a CPPCC delegate in a 2023 list. The CPPCC could not be reached for comment.

Prior to his role as CNPC chairman, Wang was at the helm of China National Offshore Oil Corp, or CNOOC, the parent of CNOOC Ltd.

CNPC is the parent of PetroChina.