Qiu Xiaohua, former chief of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), is suspected of involvement in the pension fund scandal in Shanghai. (File Photo)

 

Oct. 19 - Qiu Xiaohua, former chief of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), is suspected of involvement in the pension fund scandal in Shanghai, Li Xiaochao, an NBS spokesman, said on Thursday in Beijing.

 

Qiu's case is still under investigation, he told a press conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing.

 

The Shanghai pension fund scandal led to the sacking of the municipality's top Party official Chen Liangyu.

 

This is the second press conference the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) held at the State Council Information Office within five weeks, the first one was given by Qiu himself.

 

The State Council removed Qiu Xiaohua from the post of director of the National Bureau of Statistics last week, replacing him with Xie Fuzhan, former deputy director of the cabinet's think-tank Development Research Centre.

 

The removal sparked widespread speculations about why Qiu was sacked. No explanation has been given since then.

 

Qiu served the position only half a year. He was appointed director of the National Bureau of Statistics this March to replace Li Deshui.

 

Born in 1958, Qiu Xiaohua is a native of East China's Fujian Province. He graduated from the department of Economics of Xiamen University in Fujian in 1982.

 

He was appointed director of the National Bureau of Statistics this March to replace Li Deshui.