Top aide to former president Hu Jintao under corruption investigation

Authorities have placed former president Hu Jintao’s top aide, Ling Jihua, under investigation for “suspected serious disciplinary violation”, The Guardian reported, citing state media. Ling, 58, is one of the highest-ranking Communist party officials to be caught up in the most intense and wide-ranging anti-corruption drive in China’s recent history. In the spring of 2012, months before Xi Jinping was to replace Hu as president and party secretary, Ling’s 23 year-old son crashed a Ferrari while joyriding in Beijing, killing himself and seriously injuring two women. Ling allegedly attempted a cover up that may have changed the dynamics of the then-ongoing leadership transition.