BEIJING: The Chinese Communist Party’s anti-graft watchdog has launched an investigation into a Politburo member once seen as a contender for a top leadership post, just months before a major political congress.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is investigating Sun Zhengcai, who some 10 days ago was ousted as party chief in the major city of Chongqing, for “serious discipline violation”, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Sun is the first serving member of the 25-person Politburo to be placed under investigation since Bo Xilai, also a former Chongqing party chief who was jailed for life in 2013 in the wake of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign.

Xinhua’s brief report did not expand on the accusations nor say whether Sun would remain a member of the Politburo.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2017