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Brother of disgraced former Chinese presidential aide denies revealing secrets to US

Ling Wancheng’s US lawyer Gregory Smith says Ling is writing on a book about golf

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Why you can trust SCMP
Chinese businessman Ling Wancheng (left) is the brother of Ling Jihua, the one-time chief of staff of former president Hu Jintao. Photos: SCMP, Reuters
Wendy Wuin Beijing

Ling Wancheng, brother of a former Chinese presidential aide and sought by Beijing, wants to be “left alone” in the United States and write a book on golfing, his lawyer in the US said on Friday.

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Breaking silence for the first time since his brother was investigated in December 2014, Ling issued a statement through Washington lawyer Gregory Smith denying he had passed top secrets to US intelligence.

Ling is the younger brother of Ling Jihua, the one-time top aide to former president Hu Jintao.

Ling Wancheng spoke out a month after Beijing confirmed for the first time he was in America and they were in talks with the US government over the issue.

The Washington Free Beacon and Financial Times claimed earlier this month that Ling Wancheng had revealed a large number of secrets including nuclear weapon codes and details about the leadership to US intelligence officials.

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Reuters published a statement from Smith on Ling Wancheng’s behalf calling the claims an absurd rumour, “a baseless lie and a groundless defamation”.

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