China Telecom’s former president and chief engineer, Leng Rongquan, is under investigation for “suspicion of serious violations of the law” by the country’s top anti-graft agency.

Reuters reported that the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) has opened the probe on Leng, a Communist Party member who joined China Telecom in 2004 and retired in 2010.

In February China Telecom and China Mobile were among 26 large state-owned companies targeted by the CCDI for inspection.

After an investigation started last November and three China Unicom executives were fired or punished, the company’s chairman, Chang Xiaobing, reportedly sold all his Hong Kong shares in the company for HKD7.1 million (US$915,000).

More than 70 senior officials at state firms targeted by the watchdog were sacked last year, Xinhua news agency said.

The country’s economic reform efforts have picked up speed over the past year as the leadership has vowed to stamp out widespread corruption at the central and provincial government level as well as at state-owned enterprises.

Premier Li Keqiang said that real sacrifice will be required and the reforms will “involve the pain a soldier feels when cutting off his own poisoned arm to carry on fighting”, the Economist reported.