Ding Xuefeng, mayor in Shanxi tied to Zhou Yongkang, reportedly detained

A mayor from Shanxi province has been detained, apparently as part of the investigation into an aide of the former security tsar Zhou Yongkang, a mainland newspaper reported.

The Beijing News, quoting an unnamed retired government official, said Ding Xuefeng, the mayor of Luliang, was taken away late last month, along with several businesspeople.

The newspaper quoted another source close to Ding as saying he was implicated in the corruption investigation against the deputy national police chief Li Dongsheng, who is closely linked to former Politburo Standing Committee member Zhou. Li had helped Ding's political career advancement, the paper reported.

The South China Morning Post reported in August that President Xi Jinping and other top party leaders had authorised an investigation into Zhou, who retired last year, as part of broad nationwide anti-corruption campaign.

A spokesman for the propaganda office in Luliang declined to comment on the allegations against Ding. "We are not familiar with the situation," he said.

The retired official told The Beijing News that Ding, who is the deputy party secretary of the city, was absent from a party committee meeting on December 30.