By Li Hongmei

Liu Tienan, a senior economic policy maker, is being investigated by China's leading corruption watchdog, according to an announcement by Xinhua news agency.

Liu, 58, is one of the 11 vice chairmen of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), which formulates economic policy, approves industrial and infrastructure projects, as well as overseeing price reforms and setting prices for oil, natural gas and electricity.

Details regarding the corruption allegations or whether the official has been removed from his post have yet to be revealed, but as of Sunday, Liu remains a vice chairman on the commission's website.

Born in Beijing in Oct. 1954, Liu holds a master's degree in economics and a PhD in engineering. He has been a commission vice chairman since 2008 and was head of the country's National Energy Administration until March of this year, when he was replaced by Wu Xinxiong as part of a government restructure.

The allegations against Liu surfaced last December when Luo Changping, deputy chief editor of the Caijing Magazine, posted on his microblog page that Liu had fabricated his educational background and accused him of swindling public funds and threatening businesses and individuals. Liu's mistress, who is now living in Japan, also revealed her life security had been threatened by Liu in previous months due to conflicts of interest. 

Luo also said that Liu had been involved in a complex web of acquisitions and transactions linked to Sun Wave Forest Products, a Canada-registered company controlled by Chinese businessman Ni Ritao, who has been accused of attempting to secure a fraudulent loan from two Chinese banks worth US$200 million, Xinhua said.

A spokesperson from the National Energy Administration on Sunday denied Luo's allegations regarding the acquisitions, adding that they are in contact with local authorities to explore their legal avenues.

（Editor:富博）