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Sun Lijun, former vice minister of public security, was removed from his post, China's State Council said in a statement today, state media reports.

He was also responsible Hong Kong affairs.

Sun is being investigated for suspected severe violations of discipline and law, the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission said earlier in April.

The former deputy chief police officer joined the Communist Party in 1997 and graduated with a Master of Public Health from UNSW, Sydney's second largest university, according to China's Ministry of Public Security, the Sydney Morning Herald reported in April. In a statement, UNSW said it was able to confirm an individual with the same name graduated with a Master of Public Health in 2002.

"The university, however, cannot verify the connection to the current Chinese deputy security minister and will not be commenting further," a spokeswoman said.

Corruption-accused Meng Hongwei, who was a previous deputy security minister, was jailed in January.

Sun Lijun is being investigated for corruption.

China turfs Sun Lijun, ex-deputy public security minister