... and Shaanxi’s Wei Minzhou makes 128. Another ‘tiger’ falls in China’s anti-graft campaign

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign has claimed its 128th “tiger”, with the Communist Party investigating the former right-hand man of its top personnel official.

In a statement late on Monday, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said Wei Minzhou, deputy head of the Shaanxi people’s congress, had been detained and was under investigation for suspected severe violations of party discipline, a euphemism for corruption.

Wei, 61, was seen as a top aide to Politburo member Zhao Leji between 2007 and 2012, when Wei was secretary general of the Shaanxi party committee and Zhao was the provincial boss.

In 2012, Wei became the party chief of Xian, Shaanxi’s capital, at the same time as Zhao, 60, was promoted to head up the party’s Central Organisation Department, a powerful body responsible for approving appointments of officials at or above vice-ministerial rank. Zhao was also made a Politburo member and is considered a contender for a seat on the Politburo’s innermost Standing Committee later this year.