Former Political Star in China Is Under Party Investigation
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.
After the investigation was announced, the Chongqing Communist Party leadership under Mr. Chen praised the decision as "very timely
and very correct," and said it demonstrated Mr. Xi’s strong leadership, the Chongqing news media reported.
By CHRIS BUCKLEYJULY 24, 2017
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.
In a hint of the accusations Mr. Sun may face, the Chongqing leadership also said the decision showed
that the "struggle against corruption" would never stop.
Mr. Sun also came under political pressure this year after party inspectors accused him
and other Chongqing officials of not doing enough to root out the "toxic residue" of Mr. Bo’s influence.
