On December 22, 2014, after the announcement was made that Ling Jihua was under investigation, Mr. Ho Pin, CEO of the Mirror Media Group, told VOA that the next downfall of a big tiger (corrupt high official) could be Guo Boxiong, the former vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission (a Jiang Zemin supporter). Mr. Ho Pin did not release the name, but he said that another big tiger will be exposed after Guo Boxiong. 

In an interview with Epoch Times on December 23, 2014, Dr. Li Tianxiao, a political critic of China issues, predicted that (Xi Jinping’s) next step to combat corruption will focus on the forces of Jiang Zemin’s fraction (Jiang Zemin was the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party from 1989 to 2002 and President of the People’s Republic of China from 1993 to 2003). He stated, “The ultimate goal of Xi Jinping’s movement to combat tigers (the anti-corruption movement) is to target Jiang Zemin himself.”

Source: Voice of America, December 22, 2014 and Epoch Times, December 23, 2014
http://www.voachinese.com/content/voaweishi-1222-voaio-1/2568973.html
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/14/12/23/n4324397.htm

On December 22, 2014, the official Xinhua News Agency published a brief announcement about the investigation of Ling Jihua for “suspected serious disciplinary violations.” Ling is vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, director of the Central United Front Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and former chief of the Communist Party’s Central Committee’s General Office.

According to an editorial that Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published on December 23, 2014, Chinese netizens cheered across the Internet that same night. There had been speculation as to whether Ling would get into trouble. He was removed from his position as the former chief of the Communist Party’s Central Committee General Office prior to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China held on November 8, 2012. The editorial hinted that Ling’s downfall was related to “a Ferrari Car Accident” in Beijing on March 18, 2012. His son died in the accident. “Yesterday’s news released a strong message, ‘Anti-corruption will not stop or pause. Regardless how high and how powerful an official is, or how big a tiger, as long as he is verified as being a corrupt official, he will not be exempt.’” Huanqiu‘s comments continued, “We hope that he (Ling) has a deep feeling of guilty now. He owes too much to the public, including a sincere apology to the entire society (of China).”

Source: Xinhua, December 22, 2014 and Huanqiu, December 23, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2014-12/22/c_1113737137.htm  
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2014-12/5277334.html

On December 23, 2014, the military section of Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an article titled, “Corruption Is Very Serious in the Army; Some Corrupt Officials Still Have Not Stopped Being Corrupt.” Corruption includes using the ability to trade in power, money, and sex. Some cases have involved huge amounts of money.

“Some stubborn, deeply hidden corrupt officials have attempted to muddle along.” They have not been discovered. Some even turn a deaf ear to the anti-corruption movement. They have not concluded their corrupt acts; nor do they stop their bribery. The problems are very shocking. “(We) must punish them. Let the corrupt officials really pay a heavy price.”

Source: Huanqiu, December 23, 2014
http://mil.huanqiu.com/china/2014-12/5278619.html

Xi Jinping spoke at the ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of Macau’s return to China. He told the audience that China’s confidence and resolve to continue the practice of “one country, two systems” will not waiver.