In Friday's Papers: Businesswoman Ousted from Advisory Body; Beijing Smog Prompts Warning, Halts Production

Businesswoman Ousted from Advisory Body

Liu Yingxia, a businesswoman who was ranked one of the 50 wealthiest people in the country in 2007, was ousted from the country's top political advisory body, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on February 20. It did not say why. Liu, 41, is the chairman of Harbin Xiangying Group which is engaged in urban construction projects. Reports have said Liu has personal assets of 1 billion yuan. In 2003, she was elected as a delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body. Liu's company became a private partner of China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) in May 2012, helping to build a gas transport project linking gas fields in western China with eastern cities. CNPC has been at the center of a series of graft investigations that have brought down several businessmen. A probe has also scrutinized CNPC's overseas operations and its partners.

Original article by China.com