1st Ld-Writethru: Ex-mayor of eastern Chinese city expelled from CPC

Lu Ziyue, the former mayor of the eastern city of Ningbo, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office following a corruption investigation.

Lu, who was also deputy secretary of the CPC Ningbo City Committee, was found to have taken advantage of his position to seek profits for others in exchange for money and property, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) announced Tuesday.

Lu is accused of violating the Party's code of conduct by canvassing votes and bribing others while seeking promotion and accepting bribes to influence the promotion of others.

He traded his power for sex and used his own position and influence to benefit businesses run by his relatives, the CCDI said.

Lu was also found to have intervened in the work of judicial departments.

According to the CCDI, Lu has been involved in "superstitious activities" and violated the Party's frugality rules by living a luxurious life and frequenting private clubs.

The CCDI announced its investigation into Lu in March. He did not cooperate with the investigation, the statement said.

The CCDI accuses him of "losing sight of the ideas and faith" and "seriously violating the Party's code of conduct."

His case has been transferred to judicial departments. Endi