A local branch executive of China Mobile was taken away for investigation, Chinese media reported on May 2, 2013, making him the latest in a series of high-level officials at the world's largest mobile operator to be investigated or charged with corruption.

Li Xinze, general manager of the Guangzhou branch of China Mobile, was taken from his home Saturday for investigation by authorities, the China Business News (CBN) reported Thursday, citing a source.

Zhang Xuan, a spokesman for China Mobile, said he could not verify the news immediately when contacted by the Global Times Thursday.

Reasons for Li's detainment were still unknown. An insider from the Shenzhen branch of China Mobile told the CBN that Li's working style is aggressive and high-profile. Before assuming his current role in January 2009, Li had served as department manager in China Mobile's Shenzhen branch and Guangdong provincial branch.

CBN reported on April 26 that five executives and department managers from China Mobile branches in Tianjin, Guangdong and Inner Mongolia were also detained.

A total of 12 high-level company officials at China Mobile have been found to be involved in corruption scandals in the past four years.

Zhang Chunjiang, former deputy general manager of China Mobile, was taken away for investigation in December 2009. He was found guilty of taking 7.46 million yuan ($1.2 million) in bribes and was given a suspended death sentence in July 2011.

Analysts said these corruption cases have highlighted the inadequate supervision and regulation of State-owned companies, especially those in monopolized sectors such as telecom, banking and railway.

"Being the world's largest mobile operator by subscribers, China Mobile has too much power and a large cash flow, which offers corruption opportunities to its senior management," Fu Liang, an independent telecom analyst, told the Global Times Thursday.

The latest investigations also come at a time when China Mobile has posted a low 0.3 percent year-on-year net profit increase in the first quarter of 2013, and is facing increasing threats from Tencent's instant messaging application WeChat.

"As more corruption cases are exposed, China Mobile will strengthen its internal management and might take a prudent step in future business strategy such as expansion to the mobile Internet sector," Fu said.