BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Cao Baijun, a retired official with the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, was expelled from the Party for "severe discipline violations", the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) announced Saturday.

His retirement treatment was also canceled, the CCDI said in a statement on its website.

According to the CCDI, Cao was found to have provided "consultancy" to companies while he was in office and took payment for it; during retirement, he was engaged in profitable activities related to the work he used to administer and was paid for them; he was also suspected of accepting bribes.

His properties gained in violation of regulations would be confiscated and his case would be transferred to relevant authorities for further investigation, the CCDI said.

Born in 1954, Cao served as a bureau chief of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee from 2007 to 2012 when he retired.