Zhang Jingli [Photo / people.com.cn]

BEIJING -- Zhang Jingli, former deputy director of the State Food and Drug Administration, has been discharged from public employment for serious violations of discipline and law, the discipline watchdog of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said Thursday.

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Zhang was also expelled from the CPC, said the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the CPC seven months after it announced that Zhang was "under investigation for suspected disciplinary violations."

Zhang, 56, became deputy director of the SFDA in 2003. He was still serving in that position in 2007 when former SFDA director Zheng Xiaoyu was executed for taking 6.49 million yuan (nearly $1 million) in bribes and dereliction of duty.

According to a statement released Thursday by the CCDI of the CPC and the Ministry of Supervision, Zhang abused his office to benefit others and receive "a large amount of money" in return.

Investigations also found that Zhang gained "huge profits" from illegal business operations, fabricated facts to frame others and led a corrupt life.

Zhang's deeds severely violated disciplines and some even broke laws, the statement said, adding that all his illegal gains had been confiscated.

Zhang's alleged lawbreaking deeds will be investigated and handled by judical organs, the statement said.