Senior Chongqing official removed for sex video scandal - Morning Whistle

A district official in the southwest city of Chongqing was removed from his post after a sex video was unveiled by a microblogger, according to the local government.

A post on Friday by the press office of the Chongqing government on Sina Weibo, China's biggest microblogging website, confirmed that Lei Zhengfu, party chief of the city's Beibei district, is the man shown in the video.

The government confirmed one day earlier that the sex video posted by Ji Xuguang, who registered with his real name on Sina Weibo and is verified as an investigative reporter, had not been modified.

The official post also says that the government on Friday decided to remove Lei from his post and will conduct a further probe.

Ji on Tuesday night uploaded seven posts on his Weibo account, including the sex video, which showed a man who looks like Lei having sex with a woman, claimed by Ji to be an 18-year-old mistress.

Lei denied he was involved in the sex video and said the video must have been "modified with 'photoshop software'," Ji said in his Weibo posts.

"Lei told me over the phone that he was willing to 'make friends' with me, when I called him to get his reaction," said Ji, adding that he received an anonymous phone threat after he made contact with Lei over the phone.

Social media is gradually becoming a tool to discover corrupt officials in China.

In September, Yang Dacai, a former senior work safety official in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, was sacked in a corruption scandal after photos were posted online by netizens showing him wearing at least 11 different luxury watches on multiple occasions.

China's outgoing President Hu Jintao warned that corruption could ruin the ruling party during his party congress speech on Nov. 8, a once-a-decade event ushering in a new generation of top officials.

Chongqing's former party boss Bo Xilai has been expelled from the party for charges including corruption and severe disciplinary violations. A scandal surrounding him and his administration, which has seen his wife convicted of murdering a British businessman, is believed to have plagued the leadership transition.