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Going on record on those rumours

In rare break from protocol, delegates dish dirt on 'New Gang of Four', a fatal Ferrari crash and former president who was 'lame duck' at CMC

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Lu Xinhua was the first official to publicly link a fatal car crash in Beijing to a one-time aide to former president Hu Jintao. Photo: Simon Song

China is highly sensitive to any negative news concerning its leaders, and maintains the tightest of procedures for the release of such information.

However, there might be change afoot.

At the annual session of the legislature, journalists have received confirmation of several politically highly sensitive rumours from officials - something that rarely happens before developments are confirmed through official lines.

Officials commented on rumours that have been spreading in overseas media for months.

Lu Xinhua, spokesman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, became the first to publicly link a fatal crash involving a Ferrari in the capital three years ago to a one-time aide to former president Hu Jintao . Lu said that the crash, which killed the son of former rising political star Ling Jihua , was not the main cause of Ling's downfall.

Ling, the former director of the Communist Party's Central Committee's General Office, was demoted to vice-chairman of the CPPCC and head of the party's United Front Work Department in 2012, shortly after overseas media reported on the crash.

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