Disgraced aide to outgoing Chinese pres. gets new post

A disgraced top aide to outgoing Chinese President Hu Jintao was named vice chairman of the Chinese People`s Political Consultative Conference on Monday.

Ling Jihua, a political heavyweight, served as Hu`s secretary and head of the committee`s general office from 2007 to last year. He was touted as a candidate to enter the standing committee in November last year ahead of the 18th party convention.

But at the convention, Ling was not named to a member of the standing committee and political conference and remained as a Central Committee member. He was also demoted to director of the united work front department. He received the highest number of opposition votes, indicating lingering damage from the Ferrari scandal and the importance of family management for a political leader.

In March last year, Ling`s son was killed when his Ferrari crashed while he was with a woman in Beijing. The incident exposed the luxurious and decadent lifestyle of a high-ranking official`s son and suspicion of a cover-up of his son`s death.

Yet Ling`s appointment Monday signaled no further repercussions against him or arrests of his relatives for corruption.

mungchii@donga.com