Former Chinese presidential chief of staff has been sentenced to life imprisonment

Almaty. July 5. Silkroadnews – In China the sentence has been passed upon Ling Jihua, the former senior officials and party functionary, who between 2012 and 2014 served as Vice Chairman of the National Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), “Kommersant” newspaper reports.

As noted in the publication, from 2007 to 2012 Ling Jihua served as the top aide to the former Chinese President Hu Jintao, having worked in presidential office for a long time. Western observers pointed out that the position of Ling Jihua was similar to the head of the presidential administration. The former adviser to Hu Jintao was accused of accepting bribes, stealing state secrets and abusing power.

Ling’s political fortunes took an abrupt turn in 2012 when his son was involved and killed in a car crash.

When Xi Jinping came to power and proclaimed a fight against corruption in the top echelons of power, Ling Jihua was transferred from his position in CPPCC and placed under investigation. A year ago, he was expelled from the party and arrested. In May prosecutors filed formal charges against Ling Jihua. Ling’s younger brother Ling Wancheng used to be a businessman in China, but in 2013, when investigation against his elder brother began, found to have fled to the United States and bought a house in California for $2.5 million. According to the U.S. media reports, Ling Wancheng intends to ask the United States for political asylum, as the Chinese authorities strive for his extradition to his homeland, the newspaper said.