Miao Hua, a member of the Central Military Commission, China's top military decision-making body, was suspended from duty and is under investigation on suspicion of seriously violating discipline, China's Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, the ministry spokesman, made the announcement at a news conference in Beijing, saying that the decision to investigate Miao, who is also director of the Political Work Department of the CMC, was made by the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Miao has served as the CMC's political work chief since 2017 and was elected as a CMC member at the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, according to public information.

According to the website of the Defense Ministry, the high-ranking military official's most recent public appearance was on Oct 7, when he participated as the deputy head of the central delegation in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

jiangchenglong@chinadaily.com.cn