The former Communist Party boss of the Chinese city of Chongqing, Sun Zhengcai, is under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline, the official Xinhua news agency said on Monday.

BEIJING: The former Communist Party boss of the Chinese city of Chongqing, Sun Zhengcai, is under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline, the official Xinhua news agency said on Monday.

Sun had been party chief of the southwestern megalopolis until an abrupt announcement earlier in July that he no longer had the position and had been replaced by a rising political star close to President Xi Jinping. </s> Former rising Chinese political star Sun Zhengcai has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party and dismissed from public office amid a corruption investigation.

Sun, the former top official in the mega-city of Chongqing, is the highest-ranking serving official to be ensnared by President Xi Jinping's sweeping anti-corruption campaign, now in its fifth year.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the party's Politburo had approved the latest actions against Sun at a meeting Friday after reviewing a report from the investigation. That comes just three weeks before a major party congress held once every five years.

The moves clear the way for Sun to be prosecuted, with a guilty verdict all but certain. The party has said only that Sun is accused of "serious violations of discipline," shorthand for corruption. </s> BEIJING
• A senior Chinese official who was considered a contender for top leadership has been put under investigation, three sources with ties to the leadership said, ahead of a Communist Party congress in the autumn where China's President Xi Jinping will cement his grip on power.

Mr Sun Zhengcai, 53, had been party chief of the south-western megalopolis of Chongqing, until an abrupt announcement on Saturday morning that he no longer had the position and had been replaced by a rising political star close to Mr Xi.

The announcement, carried by state news agency Xinhua, did not say Mr Sun had a new position or use wording to suggest he was waiting for a further appointment.

A source who has been briefed on the matter said Mr Sun is suspected of "serious discipline violations", a term that can encompass everything from taking bribes to not toeing the party line. The source added that it was a "conversation investigation", meaning it was not yet at the stage of a formal probe.

A second source with ties to the leadership told Reuters that Mr Sun is undergoing investigation for suspected "violation of political discipline". The source declined to elaborate. "But he is still a comrade. He is still a Politburo member," the source said, referring to the party's 25-member decision-making body.

Officials are stripped of their title "comrade" once a formal legal case is filed against them and they are expelled from the party. Officials are sometimes put under investigation but not formally charged. However, once a party announcement about a probe is publicly announced, they are almost always punished.

The Communist Party's anti-corruption watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, did not respond to a request for comment yesterday. Calls to the Chongqing government information office also went unanswered.

It was not possible to reach Mr Sun and not clear if any limits have been put on his movements.

Hong Kong and Taiwanese media as well as The Wall Street Journal have also reported that Mr Sun is being investigated. If confirmed, it would be the first probe of a sitting Politburo member, a key leadership body in the Communist Party, since the downfall in 2012 of another one-time Chongqing chief, Bo Xilai, later sentenced to life in prison for corruption and abuse of power.

Mr Sun did not appear on Chongqing television's Saturday evening broadcast when new party boss, Mr Chen Min'er, 56, was introduced to city officials by Mr Zhao Leji, head of the powerful organisation department which oversees personnel. Mr Zhao announced the probe at the Chongqing meeting, the first source added.

When Beijing's new party boss Cai Qi was unveiled in May, not only did Mr Zhao introduce Mr Cai but his predecessor Guo Jinlong was also present at the meeting and gave a speech, according to the Beijing city government's account of the event.

A third source with ties to the leadership emphasised how unusual it was that Mr Sun was not present or mentioned in the meeting where Mr Chen was presented as the new Chongqing leader. The source said the Chongqing meeting was told that Mr Sun had committed "political mistakes".

The three sources, who all spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to foreign media, said Mr Sun was currently in Beijing.

Chongqing is perhaps best known for its association with its disgraced former party boss Bo, once a contender for top leadership before being jailed for life in 2013 in a dramatic corruption scandal.

Mr Sun was once seen as a potential premier, but sources say he has been out of favour after the party's anti-corruption watchdog in February criticised the Chongqing authorities for not doing enough to root out Bo's influence.

Diplomatic sources say Mr Sun had been scheduled to go on a trip to Europe recently but it had been cancelled. However, another candidate for party elevation, Guangdong party boss Hu Chunhua, visited Britain, Ireland and Israel last month. Such trips are often used by senior officials to raise their international profiles ahead of promotions.

Mr Sun's last public appearance as cited by state media was on July 12, at a Chongqing party meeting. </s> (UPDATED) The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is investigating Sun Zhengcai, who until last week was party chief in the major city of Chongqing, for a 'serious discipline violation'

BEIJING, China (UPDATED) – The Chinese Communist Party's anti-graft watchdog has launched an investigation into a Politburo member who was once seen as a contender for a top leadership post, state media reported Monday. July 24

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is investigating Sun Zhengcai, who until a week ago was party chief in the major city of Chongqing, for "serious discipline violation", Xinhua news agency said.

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

Xinhua's brief report did not say whether Sun would remain a member of the Politburo. His replacement as party chief in Chongqing was announced on July 15.

The shake-up in Chongqing comes as the Communist Party prepares for a congress later this year that will likely cement Xi's position as the most powerful Chinese leader in a generation.

At the gathering, Xi is widely expected to secure a second five-year term.

But all eyes will be on who will depart or ascend to the Politburo's standing committee, the elite group of seven politicians who run the world's second largest economy.

Sun, who was replaced in the city by former Xi aide Chen Miner, had once been tipped for promotion to the exclusive body.

Bo Xilai was also once the party chief in Chongqing, the country's fourth largest city and an industrial metropolis in the southwest of the country.

Bo was rumoured to be part of a network plotting to stop Xi from assuming control of the party in 2012, and Sun was tasked with erasing Bo's influence on the city.

But in February party discipline inspectors publicly rebuked Sun for failing to get the job done, leaving his future in question.

Shortly after replacing Sun, Chen was quoted as saying by a local daily that the city must "resolutely remove the bad impact" of Bo's case.

Chen first worked with Xi in 2002, when the latter became party chief of the eastern province of Zhejiang.

In late 2012 the former propaganda chief's career kicked into overdrive following Xi's ascension to the head of the Communist Party.

Chen became governor of the southwestern province of Guizhou in 2013, adding the title of party secretary in 2015. – Rappler.com </s> Beijing: A senior Chinese official who was considered a contender for top leadership has been put under investigation, three officials with ties to the leadership said, ahead of a Communist Party congress in the autumn where Xi Jinping will cement his grip on power.

Sun Zhengcai had been party chief of the southwestern megalopolis of Chongqing, until an abrupt announcement on Saturday morning that he no longer had the position and had been replaced by a rising political star close to President Xi.

The announcement, carried by state news agency Xinhua, did not say Sun either had a new position or use wording to suggest he was waiting for a further appointment.

An official who has been briefed on the matter said Sun is suspected of “serious discipline violations”, a term that can encompass everything from taking bribes to not toeing the party line. The official added that it was a “conversation investigation”, meaning it’s not yet at the stage of a formal probe.

A second official with ties to the leadership told Reuters that Sun is undergoing investigation for suspected “violation of political discipline”. The official declined to elaborate.

“But he is still a comrade. He is still a Politburo member,” the official said, referring to the party’s 25-member decision-making body.

Officials are stripped of their title “comrade” once a formal legal case is filed against them and they are expelled from the party. Officials are sometimes put under investigation but not formally charged. However once a party announcement about a probe is publicly announced they are almost always punished.

The Communist Party’s anti-corruption watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday. Calls to the Chongqing government information office also went unanswered.

It was not possible to reach Sun directly for comment, and unclear if he has been allowed to retain a lawyer. It is not clear if any limits have been put on Sun’s movements.

Hong Kong and Taiwan media as well as the Wall Street Journal have also reported Sun is being investigated.

Sun did not appear on Chongqing television’s Saturday evening broadcast when new party boss, Chen Miner, was introduced to city officials by Zhao Leji, head of the powerful organisation department which oversees personnel decisions.

Zhao made the announcement about the probe at the Chongqing meeting, the first official added.

When Beijing’s new party boss Cai Qi was unveiled in May, Zhao not only introduced Cai but Cai’s predecessor Guo Jinlong was also present at the meeting and gave a speech, according to the Beijing city government’s account of the event.

A third official with ties to the leadership emphasised how unusual it was that Sun was not present or mentioned at all in the meeting where Chen was presented as new Chongqing leader.

The official said the Chongqing meeting was told that Sun had committed “political mistakes”.

The three officials, who all spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to foreign media, said Sun was currently in Beijing.

Chongqing is perhaps best known for its association with its disgraced former party boss Bo Xilai, once himself a contender for top leadership before being jailed for life in 2013 in a dramatic corruption scandal.

Sun had been seen as a potential candidate for elevation at the autumn congress and as a possible future premier, but his star has waned.

Officials with ties to the leadership and foreign diplomats say Sun has been out of favour after the party’s anti-corruption watchdog in February criticised Chongqing authorities for not doing enough to root out Bo’s influence.

At that meeting, Sun said he accepted the watchdog’s assessment “without question”, according to a party statement at the time.

Chongqing is one of China’s most important cities. Global electronics brands including Hewlett-Packard, Foxconn, Acer and Asus all have operations in Chongqing, lured by tax breaks, cheap labour and land, plus a developed supply chain and logistics. The region makes a third of the world’s laptops.

Diplomatic officials say Sun had been scheduled to go on a trip to Europe recently but it had been cancelled. It is not immediately clear which countries he was due to have visited.

However, another candidate for elevation, Guangdong province party boss Hu Chunhua, visited Britain, Ireland and Israel last month. Such trips are often used by senior officials to raise their international profiles ahead of promotions.

Sun’s last public appearance as mentioned by state media was on 12 July, when he attended a Chongqing party meeting about deepening reforms. Reuters </s> BEIJING (AFP) - The Chinese Communist Party’s anti-graft watchdog has launched an investigation into Sun Zhengcai, a Politburo member who was once seen as a contender for a top leadership post, state media reported Monday (July 24).

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is investigating Sun, who until a week ago was party chief in the major city of Chongqing, for “serious discipline violation”, Xinhua news agency said.

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

Xinhua’s brief report did not say whether Sun would remain a member of the Politburo. His replacement as party chief in Chongqing was announced on July 15.

The shake-up in Chongqing comes as the Communist Party prepares for a congress later this year that is expected to cement Xi’s position as the most powerful Chinese leader in a generation.

Sun, who was replaced in the city by former Xi aide Chen Min'er, had once been tipped as a contender for promotion to the Politburo’s elite seven-member standing committee, the nation’s top political body. </s> BEIJING — The Chinese Communist Party said on Monday that Sun Zhengcai, a high-flying politician who had been seen as a potential future premier, was under investigation over suspected “grave violations of discipline,” ending his career and raising the stakes of a national leadership shake-up that is just months away.

Mr. Sun, 53, is the most senior serving politician purged so far in a five-year drive against corruption, disloyalty and abuse of power that President Xi Jinping began soon after taking control of the Communist Party in late 2012. The terse party announcement about the investigation issued through Xinhua, the state news agency, did not specify the allegations against Mr. Sun. “Violations of discipline” is a vague term that can include corruption, abuses of power and disloyalty to the party.

But by removing Mr. Sun, Mr. Xi has eliminated a potential obstacle to his efforts to consolidate power later this year, when a Communist Party congress will appoint a new leadership team to serve under him for his second five-year stint as party leader and as president.

Mr. Sun had been party secretary of Chongqing, a riverside city in southwestern China, since late 2012, when he was sent there to help clean up a previous political scandal. His abrupt dismissal was announced on July 15, initially without explanation. Since then, he has not appeared in public, and his name had not appeared in state media until the official confirmation on Monday that he was under investigation. </s> The Chinese Communist Party's anti-graft watchdog has launched an investigation into a Politburo member who was once seen as a contender for a top leadership post, state media reported Monday.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is investigating Sun Zhengcai, who until a week ago was party chief in the major city of Chongqing.

Sun, 53, is being investigated for 'serious discipline violation', Xinhua news agency said in a report on July 24.

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

Sun was once regarded as a possible successor to Xi Jinping, 64, who became the President of People's Republic of China in 2013, according to The Wall Street Journal which quoted people familiar with the matter.

Xinhua's brief report did not say whether Sun would remain a member of the Politburo, the nation's top political body.

Sun was removed from his position as the party chief in Chongqing on July 15, according to a previous Xinhua report.

Chen Min'er, 56, was appointed as Sun's replacement on the same day.

Chongqing is one of the four municipalities in China - alongside Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin - and is an industrial metropolis in the south-west of the country.

The shake-up in Chongqing comes as the Communist Party prepares for a congress later this year that is expected to cement Xi's position as the most powerful Chinese leader in a generation.

Sun, who was replaced in the city by former Xi aide Chen Min'er, had once been tipped as a contender for promotion to the Politburo's elite seven-member standing committee.

Bo Xilai was also once the party chief in Chongqing.

Bo was rumoured to be part of a network plotting to stop Xi from assuming control of the party in 2012, and Sun was tasked with erasing Bo's influence on the city.

But in February party discipline inspectors publicly rebuked Sun for failing to get the job done, leaving his future in question.

Shortly after replacing Sun, Chen was quoted as saying by a local daily that the city must 'resolutely remove the bad impact' of Bo's case.

Chen first worked with Xi in 2002, when the latter became party chief of the eastern province of Zhejiang.

In late 2012 the former propaganda chief's career kicked into overdrive following Xi's ascension to the head of the Communist Party.

Chen became governor of the southwestern province of Guizhou in 2013, adding the title of party secretary in 2015. </s> The former Communist Party boss of the Chinese city of Chongqing, Sun Zhengcai, is under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline, the official Xinhua news agency said on Monday.

BEIJING: The former Communist Party boss of one of China's most important cities, the southwestern megalopolis of Chongqing, is under investigation for "suspected serious violations of discipline", the party's anti-corruption watchdog said on Monday.

Sun Zhengcai, a senior official once considered a contender for top leadership, had been party chief of the city until an abrupt announcement this month that he had been replaced by a rising political star close to President Xi Jinping.

Chongqing is perhaps best known outside the country for its association with its disgraced former party boss Bo Xilai, who was once himself a contender for top leadership before being jailed for life in 2013 in a dramatic corruption scandal.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) announced the investigation into Sun in a one-line statement on its website, a move that comes ahead of a key party congress in the autumn where Xi will cement his grip on power.

Sources had earlier told Reuters that Sun was under investigation for discipline violations, a term that can encompass everything from taking bribes to not toeing the party line.

Officials are sometimes put under investigation but not formally charged. However, once a party announcement about a probe is publicly announced, they are almost always punished.

It was not possible to reach Sun directly for comment.

Sun had been seen as a potential candidate for elevation at the autumn congress and as a possible future premier. But sources with ties to the leadership and foreign diplomats say Sun has been out of favour after the CCDI in February criticised Chongqing authorities for not doing enough to root out Bo's influence.

At that meeting, Sun said he accepted the watchdog's assessment "without question", according to a party statement at the time.

Sun was unceremoniously replaced in Chongqing by Chen Miner, who days after taking up the post demanded officials banish the "evil legacy" of Bo.

Chen is a rising political star close to Xi, and is seen as a potential new member of the party's elite Standing Committee when it is unveiled after a reshuffle at the once-every-five-years party congress.

Since assuming power in late 2012, Xi has pursued a relentless campaign against corruption, warning that the problem could threaten the party's ability to retain power, though some analysts say he is also taking down political rivals. </s> BEIJING (BLOOMBERG) - Mr Sun Zhengcai, the former Communist Party chief of the Chinese city of Chongqing, is under investigation by authorities, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday (July 15), citing people it did not identify.

Mr Sun, 53, was the youngest member of the party's Politburo and was considered a rising star ahead of a key leadership reshuffle later this year.

State media reported earlier on Saturday that he was replaced by a provincial party chief - Mr Chen Min'er - who is an associate of President Xi Jinping.

A party meeting in Chongqing to announce Mr Sun's departure was told he was under investigation, the Journal reported, adding that no details of the probe were given.

Chongqing is a fast-growing mega-city and one of four centrally administered municipalities alongside Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin.

If confirmed, it would be the first probe of a sitting Politburo member, a key leadership body in the Communist Party, since the downfall in 2012 of another one-time Chongqing chief Bo Xilai, who was later sentenced to life in prison for corruption and abuse of power.

It comes before a party congress where many of the 25 members of the Politburo are expected to be replaced as Mr Xi heads into the second half of his scheduled term in power.

Five of seven members of the supreme Politburo Standing Committee - all except Mr Xi and Premier Li Keqiang - are also scheduled to retire.

Mr Xi has for more than four years embarked on a sweeping crackdown on graft at all levels of the party. He has warned corruption is one of the biggest threats to the party's future. The campaign has also allowed him to amass greater power.

Mr Sun had previously drawn praise from the president. During a visit to Chongqing in January 2016, Mr Xi stood side by side with Mr Sun and admired various projects under his purview, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

While inspecting port and railway projects to support Mr Xi's initiative for a new Silk Road trading route to Europe, the president said: "This place is very promising."

Still, the party's top anti-graft agency, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, issued a statement in February after an inspection trip to Chongqing saying the municipality fell short of "clearing toxic residue" from Bo's era. And in June, state media said Chongqing's top police officer He Ting had been relieved of his post.

The party's Organisation Department chief Zhao Leji presided over Saturday's appointment meeting and transition ceremony, where Mr Sun was absent, according to the Chongqing Daily.

"Sun's absence from the transition ceremony was highly unusual and is a good indication that he's in trouble," said adjunct political professor Willy Lam at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Mr Sun's removal could help Mr Xi solidify his grip on power ahead of the party reshuffle, Dr Lam said. "It's another way to demonstrate he's in full control of the succession game."

In June 2015, Zhou Yongkang, a retired member of the Politburo's supreme Standing Committee, was sentenced to life in prison, the highest-ranking official convicted for graft in party history.

Zhou, until 2012, oversaw China's vast security apparatus, including police, prosecutors and the courts. He held sway over a network of proteges and former aides, serving on the Standing Committee with Mr Xi before he retired and the latter was elevated to general secretary in 2012.

Mr Sun, together with Guangdong party boss Hu Chunhua, had been regarded as potentially in line to be elevated to the Standing Committee.

Instead, Mr Chen, 56, party chief of the southwestern province of Guizhou, was announced on Saturday as the new chief of Chongqing.

Prior to his Chongqing appointment, Mr Sun was party chief of the northeastern province of Jilin between 2009 and 2012, and was China's Agricultural Minister between 2006 and 2009 in the administration of Premier Wen Jiabao.

Mr Chen has crossed paths with Mr Xi during his career and the two have established links. He advanced to governor of Guizhou - his first provincial-level promotion - in December 2012, shortly after Mr Xi became overall party chief.

In July 2015, Mr Chen was promoted to provincial party chief, only the third regional party boss born in the 1960s.

As propaganda chief previously in Zhejiang, which Mr Xi led from 2002 to 2007, Mr Chen shepherded Mr Xi's regular column in the provincial newspaper. More than 200 of those columns were compiled into a book touted as the origins of Mr Xi's political philosophies.

Chongqing, a sprawling municipality of almost 30 million people, is located more than 1,400km from the coast and served as China's capital during the Japanese invasion. Chongqing has prospered as the country's economic boom rolled inland, reinventing itself as a regional hub for manufacturing, logistics, financial services and foreign investment.
The Chinese Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announces that current Politburo member Sun Zhengcai is under investigation for violating party discipline. Sun is the fourth sitting Politburo member since 1990 to fall from power.