The vice-chairman and general manager of China Railcom, Peng Peng, has been replaced by a Ministry of Railways official, said state media. He was forced to step down from the fixed-line carrier after a special board meeting which followed a Ministry of Railways inspection, according to an MIIowned website. South China Morning Post said the sacking had aroused speculation that the Ministry of Railways was unhappy with the performance of Railcom, in which it has a 51 per cent stake, and that it intended to tighten control on the company.