Observers of elite politics in China cannot miss a cruel paradox: Those closest to the apex of power are the most likely to fall. The latest example is that of Sun Zhengcai, a member of the Chinese Communist Party's politburo, and party chief in the large southwestern city of Chongqing.
Before his recent detention on unspecified corruption charges, 53-year-old Sun was a high-flyer. Promoted to the politburo at the CCP's 18th congress in 2012, he was seen as a potential candidate to succeed either the general secretary, President Xi Jinping, or Premier Li Keqiang when they retire in 2022.
