China Southern Airlines’ executive vice-president Liu Qian is the latest board member to be forced to step down amid an ongoing corruption investigation at the airline.
Liu, who was operations chief, is the fifth senior manager to be removed since a graft probe began last year.
It follows the removal and investigation into the affairs of chief financial officer Xu Jiebo and deputy managers Chen Gang, Zhou Yuehai and Tian Xiaodong for ‘job-related crimes.’
"A case on file for investigation against Liu Qian has been placed due to the suspicion of bribery. All eleven directors of the board considered and unanimously approved that Liu Qian be removed as the executive vice president of the company," the airline said in a note posted to the Hong Kong stock exchange.
Liu, 52, is a former pilot and joined the airline in 2004 from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
The CAAC itself has been subject to investigations by the Chinese anti-graft agency and at least three officials at the aviation regulator have been detained on suspicion of corruption, according to the South China Morning Post.
