Zhou Benshun, former Party chief of Hebei province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and dismissed from public office for multiple offenses including graft, speaking against the Party line and hindering an official investigation.

"Zhou severely violated political discipline and rules," the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement on Friday.

"Zhou made remarks on major issues that went against the spirit of the central authority, and failed to earnestly implement the building of a clean government by interfering with and hindering investigations," the statement added, without elaborating.