It was supposed to be Sun Zhengcai’s year. The son of farmers who rose through the Communist Party ranks to be chief of China’s largest city Chongqing, the 54-year-old was tipped to be in line for promotion to the next Politburo Standing Committee, China’s ultimate ruling force. From there he would be in the box seat to succeed President Xi Jinping.

But at a hastily arranged meeting of Chongqing’s senior officials on July 15, Sun’s political career ended. The Party announced he was under investigation, suspected of “serious violations of discipline”. He has disappeared from public life.