Former presidential aide to Hu Jintao expelled from party, arrested

A former top aide to former president Hu Jintao, Ling Jihua, has been officially expelled from the Communist Party of China, arrested on charges of corruption and now awaits trial, South China Morning Post reported, citing state media. An investigation into Ling’s affairs also uncovered violation of “political rules” and organizational discipline, as well as failure to protect party and state secrets, according to a Xinhua report. The announcement comes only a few weeks ahead of the annual summer gathering of party leaders in Beidaihe, Hebei for closed-door talks that can influence the direction of major domestic policies.