Beijing - A former presidential aide has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party and arrested for suspected bribery and other offences, state media reported.
The decision to arrest Ling Jihua, a senior party official and a close associate of former president Hu Jintao, was made by the party's powerful Central Committee on Monday, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Ling was first put under investigation for "disciplinary" violations in December, as President Xi Jinping pursued a nationwide anti-corruption campaign.
Those investigations found that Ling "seriously violated the political discipline and rules of the CPC (Communist Party of China), as well as the party's organisational and confidentiality discipline", Xinhua said.
He also committed adultery and had "traded his power for sex", the government said.
Ling's arrest was "a vital lesson" for other officials, said a newspaper commentary on Tuesday in the China Daily newspaper.
"If Ling's activities were not discovered in time, he could have dealt a blow to the cause of the Party and the nation, and entrapped more people his dirty game," the commentary said.
Shortly after taking office two years ago, Xi launched his anti-corruption campaign, targeting both junior and senior officials in China's one-party system.
Dozens of powerful state firms have since come under scrutiny, with many high-ranking functionaries put on trial or brought under investigation.
Ling's proximity to former president Hu, who was in power from 2003 to 2013, has made him one of the most high-profile cases.