Chen Gang, the executive vice president, and Tian Xiao Dong, COO of flight operations with China Southern Airlines, have been removed from their jobs under suspicion of corruption. The Journal of Commerce reported that investors were told an investigation had been launched against the two men. The board of directors unanimously approved the action.
An internal audit in early December revealed irregularities at China Southern, which were reported to authorities. This comes as President Xi Jinping has vowed to fight corruption among both high- and low-ranking officials. As many as 10 executives at China Southern were arrested Nov. 30 as part of Xi’s anti-graft drive.
The exact nature of the criminal activity is not yet known. Chen has been with the airline since August 2009; Tian has been COO of flight operations for one year.
China Southern Airlines transported 499.51 million revenue freight tonne kilometers (RFTK) in November, which is about a 16 percent year-over-year increase compared to 2013. Year-to-date the airline has carried 4.60 billion RFTK, which is a nearly 17 percent rise, year-over-year.
The removal of the two executives will not affect the day-to-day operations of the carrier, according to China Southern