The vice-chairman of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, Li Tangtang, is being investigated for possible corruption, the country's top discipline watchdog said yesterday.

Li is suspected of "serious violation of discipline," the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said, employing the Party's standard shorthand for graft and abuse of power.

Li is the second vice-ministerial-level official to come under such investigation after celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China on Oct 1.