The producer of the substandard vaccines has been found to improperly seek profits in violation of the laws, to disregard the national standards for medicine and the regulations for quality control in medicine production, and to falsify testing records for vaccine production, the statement said.

Local government and supervision departments have also been found to have neglected their duties, with some officials failing to properly conduct oversight of the vaccine production, the statement said.

The meeting stressed that vaccines concern people's health as well as public safety and state security. The substandard vaccines case has brought about seriously bad effects on society, and severe punishment must be given to those responsible.

Jin Yuhui, vice-governor of Jilin province, and five senior officials were removed or required to resign from their posts to take the blame, according to the statement.

Wu Zhen, former deputy head of the former State Food and Drug Administration, is under investigation on suspicion of serious violations of Party disciplinary rules and laws by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, the CCDI announced on Thursday evening.