Fall of Ling Jihua is a warning to the well-connected and corrupt in China

The mills of God grind slowly. Ling Jihua , a former presidential top aide and vice-chairman of the national committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, is the latest "tiger" to come under investigation as part of Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption.

Ling's case is different from the investigation into Zhou Yongkang , the once powerful former security chief. Ling is the most high-ranking serving official under investigation so far, thus his downfall is significant.

His case is also different from that of Su Rong , another CPPCC vice-chairman who is also being investigated for "disciplinary violations". Compared to Su, Ling wielded more power as head of Communist Party's United Front Work Department. Besides, as the former chief of the Central Committee's General Office - in effect, the top aide to then president Hu Jintao - Ling held an important position for a decade.

Ling's downfall surprised the public. After all, he was a key person in the power architecture of the last generation of leaders. In Chinese politics, where officials are involved in complicated power networks and connections can mean everything, the fate of someone like Ling could rest on whether a former patron would and could save his neck.

No doubt Ling's political career was dealt a major blow by the controversy surrounding the death of his son Ling Gu in a Ferrari crash in 2012. Even so, the events of late have gone far beyond public expectations.

After the 18th party congress in 2012, Ling was moved to head the United Front Work Department, so it was generally perceived that he had landed safely. Even after news of the investigation into and detention of his brothers, Ling Zhengce and Ling Wancheng , some still believed Ling himself would dodge the fallout.

Besides, Ling was seen attending major meetings and even published an article in Qiushi magazine, the party's mouthpiece, to show his loyalty to the current leadership, one week before the announcement that he was being investigated.

The decision to investigate certainly wasn't made on a whim. So, in theory, Qiushi should have known the Central Committee's stand on the matter before publishing the article. The fact that the piece was published should have indicated that the party trusted him. Therefore, it all seemed quite abrupt.

For many others, however, Ling's fall was viewed as only a matter of time following the arrests and investigation of senior officials in Shanxi province, including his brother Ling Zhengce, this year.

Ling Jihua, a Shanxi native, was said to be the founder of the "Shanxi gang". Over the years, the Lings built a power base there and dominated the province's politics. Now, they are also associated with corruption.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether Ling Jihua was directly involved in building his family empire. But it would surely be untrue for Ling to deny that his influence was the currency of this empire. He cannot fail to be tainted by the allegations surrounding his family.

If Ling were to land safely this time, no one would believe it was due to his own integrity. Rather, it would be interpreted as cronyism and proof of the machinations of China's intricate power networks. That could undermine the party's anti-corruption drive, and justify the rumours about the party secretly being selective about which corrupt officials it tackles.

It is said Ling has been charged with failing to discipline his relatives and being involved with the Zhou Yongkang case, as well as corruption. We will have to wait for the official word on the specific charges.

For now, his downfall sends two clear messages.

First, the Central Committee will fight corruption unyieldingly. Interest in the anti-corruption drive has been waning after the investigations into Zhou Yongkang and former People's Liberation Army general Xu Caihou were announced. Thus, adding another influential figure to the list will keep the campaign in the public eye.

Many believe the campaign will peter out, in spite of party rhetoric which describes it as a process that will go on forever. Ling's case reiterates the party's determination in fighting corruption. This case can boost public confidence in the anti-corruption drive.

Secondly, it shows no one can escape punishment if they break the law, however powerful or influential. Ling's fall is a testament to that. In the past, many corrupt officials escaped punishment and even got elevated simply because they were well connected. As a result, many officials work hard to accumulate personal favours and think nothing of flouting the law and regulations once they have built a safety umbrella.

To fight corruption, such a mentality must to broken. Ling's fall sends a clear signal that officials need to seriously consider the implications of previously condoned corrupt practices.

Deng Yuwen is a Beijing-based political analyst