Xiao Yaqing, former minister of industry and information technology who was placed under investigation for suspected violations of discipline and laws in July, was expelled from the Party, according to the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission.

Born in Xinle, Hebei province, Xiao graduated from Central South University in Changsha, Hunan province, majoring in materials process engineering, and holds the title of professor-level senior engineer.

Xiao joined the Party in 1981. He entered the workforce in 1982 at the Northeast Light Alloy Fabrication Plant in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, and was transferred to the Southwestern Aluminium Fabrication Plant in Chongqing in 1999.

In 2003, he was appointed deputy general manager of Aluminum Corporation of China, rising to general manager the next year.

In 2009, Xiao became deputy secretary-general of the State Council. In 2016, he was appointed director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, and in 2019, he moved to head the State Administration for Market Regulation.

He was appointed as the secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in July 2020 and became the minister about a month later.