Liu Zhijun

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature of China, on Friday agreed to dismiss Liu Zhijun from his post as Railways Minister.

The discipline watchdog of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said on Feb. 12 that Liu was under investigation for alleged "severe violation of discipline," while the CPC Central Committee's Organization Department said he had been removed from the post of the ministry's Party chief.

The committee appointed Sheng Guangzu, 62, the former head of the General Administration of Customs (GAC), as the new Railways Minister.

Sheng had already been appointed to replace Liu, 58, as the ministry's Party chief.

Liu became the Railways Minister and the ministry's Party chief in March 2003. Sheng was vice minister of railways before he was transferred to the post of the GAC's deputy commissioner in 2000.