China widens telecom industry probe

More than 60 individuals, including government officials and telecommunications employees, have been implicated following a corruption investigation involving a senior executive at China Mobile (CHL.NYSE, 0941.HK), state media reported. Ma Li, deputy manager of China Mobile’s data service division, was arrested by authorities in March on corruption allegations involving US$17 million. Sources say that Ye Bing, the CEO of ASPire Holdings, a corporation owned by China Mobile, has been under investigation since mid-May and may be linked to Ma’s case. Earlier this month, the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection launched an investigation into China’s top three telecom companies – China Mobile, China Unicom (CHU.NYSE, 600050.NYSE, 0762.HK) and China Telecom (CHA.NYSE, 0728.HK).