Xu Gang, a former vice-governor of Fujian and the highest-ranking official in the province to be investigated for corruption since 2012, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and is likely to be prosecuted.

China's top procuratorate said on Monday that it had filed a bribery case against Xu, who remained in custody.

Xu, 57, had been accused in March of violating Party discipline and laws, a phrase that generally refers to corruption.