China Telecom chairman Chang Xiaobing under investigation

The chairman of one of China's largest state-owned mobile operators, China Telecom, is being investigated by the country's anti-corruption watchdog. Chang Xiaobing is "suspected of serious violation of discipline", according to a statement on the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection website. The executive was reported missing by local media on Sunday. He is the latest in a series of high-profile executives to become embroiled in Beijing's crackdown on corruption. The government's ongoing anti-corruption drive resulted in more than 70 senior officials at state firms being investigated in 2014. Advertisement Top Chinese executives investigated Jiang Jiemin, former chairman of leading energy group China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) jailed for 16 years in October for graft Xu Jianyi, former chairman of top automaker China FAW Group expelled from the ruling Communist Party in August for embezzling funds and taking bribes Shen Hao, former president of financial media group 21st Century jailed for four years last week for extortion and blackmail Cheng Boming, president of China's largest brokerage, CITIC Securities, under investigation in September for alleged trading on insider information Little information was given on the investigation involving Mr Chang, but the statement mentioned his position as the former chairman of the country's second-largest mobile operator China Unicom. The 58-year-old became the chairman at China Telecom in August. Earlier this year, there were reports that the government was considering merging the two telecom giants. Government scrutiny of the top firms in the world's second largest economy has spread beyond state-owned enterprises.