Xu Zongheng, mayor of China's southern economic powerhouse of Shenzhen, has been removed from his post for "serious discipline violations," official sources said Thursday.

Due to his serious disciplinary offenses, the central authority has decided to remove Xu from his post and the case is being handled according to procedures, an official with the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee told Xinhua.

Xu, 54, became Shenzhen mayor in 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2009)