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Chinese Politician to Stand Trial for Corruption Chinese Politician to Stand Trial for Corruption
(35 minutes later)
HONG KONG — Bo Xilai, an ambitious Chinese politician whose downfall shook the Communist Party elite, will stand trial on Thursday and face charges of taking bribes, corruption and abusing power, state-run media announced on Sunday.HONG KONG — Bo Xilai, an ambitious Chinese politician whose downfall shook the Communist Party elite, will stand trial on Thursday and face charges of taking bribes, corruption and abusing power, state-run media announced on Sunday.
The brief report from the Xinhua news agency said Mr. Bo would be tried at in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province in eastern China. But the report offered few details about the lurid allegations of corruption and the ensuing scandal that exposed bitter contention within the usually secretive Communist Party leadership. The brief report from the Xinhua news agency said Mr. Bo would be tried in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province in eastern China. But the report offered few details about the lurid allegations of corruption and the ensuing scandal that exposed bitter contention within the usually secretive Communist Party leadership.
Mr. Bo, 64, fell from power last year, triggering reverberations still felt in Chinese politics. Accusations of skullduggery and corruption around him and his family have drawn the attention of the Chinese people, and his trial is considered a test of how harshly and candidly the Communist Party elite deals with one of its own. Mr. Bo, 64, fell from power last year, setting off reverberations still felt in Chinese politics. Accusations of skulduggery and corruption around him and his family have drawn the attention of the Chinese people, and his trial is considered a test of how harshly and candidly the Communist Party elite deals with one of its own.
“Politics will determine how Bo Xilai is tried,” said Chen Ziming, a commentator in Beijing who closely follows Communist Party affairs. “How much evidence they present will depend on how severely they want to punish him; not vice versa.” “Politics will determine how Bo Xilai is tried,” said Chen Ziming, a commentator in Beijing who closely follows Communist Party affairs. “How much evidence they present will depend on how severely they want to punish him, not vice versa.”
China’s courts are controlled by the Communist Party, and there is little doubt that Mr. Bo will be found guilty. But experts have offered rival views about the likely severity of the punishment. A death penalty appears very unlikely, but a prison sentence of 15 years or longer is almost certain, Mr. Chen said. China’s courts are controlled by the Communist Party, and there is little doubt that Mr. Bo will be found guilty. But experts have offered competing views about the likely severity of the punishment. A death penalty appears very unlikely, but a prison sentence of 15 years or longer is almost certain, Mr. Chen said.
“The central leadership will have weighed up the various pressures — for Bo, against Bo — and come to a decision,” he said. “It’s not a decision for the court.”“The central leadership will have weighed up the various pressures — for Bo, against Bo — and come to a decision,” he said. “It’s not a decision for the court.”
The political passions evoked by Mr. Bo have made his case a difficult one for the party leadership. If the evidence offered is flimsy or relatively slight, his supporters may accuse leaders of pursuing a political vendetta. But if the evidence is extensive and severe, others will ask why Mr. Bo was allowed to stay in power for so long, and even position himself for possible promotion into the central leadership.The political passions evoked by Mr. Bo have made his case a difficult one for the party leadership. If the evidence offered is flimsy or relatively slight, his supporters may accuse leaders of pursuing a political vendetta. But if the evidence is extensive and severe, others will ask why Mr. Bo was allowed to stay in power for so long, and even position himself for possible promotion into the central leadership.
An urbane former Minister of Commerce with a liking for sleek suits and media attention, Mr. Bo was appointed the Communist Party secretary of Chongqing, a relatively poor municipality in southwest China, in 2007. He turned Chongqing into a showcase for a blend of welfare programs, reverent propaganda for the revolutionary past, and harsh measures against suspected members of organized crime cartels. His supporters hoped that he would win a place in the Communist Party’s top echelon. An urbane former minister of commerce with a liking for sleek suits and media attention, Mr. Bo was appointed the Communist Party secretary of Chongqing, a relatively poor municipality in southwest China, in 2007. He turned Chongqing into a showcase for a blend of welfare programs, reverent propaganda for the revolutionary past, and harsh measures against suspected members of organized crime organizations. His supporters hoped that he would win a place in the Communist Party’s top echelon.
But his critics claim that Mr. Bo’s populist façade hid abuses of power and corrupt self-enrichment by him and his family. Mr. Bo abruptly fell from power in March last year, over a month after the former police chief of Chongqing, Wang Lijun, fled to a United States Consulate. Mr. Wang disclosed accusations that Mr. Bo’s wife, Gu Kailai, was involved in the murder of a British businessman, Neil Heywood, who knew the Bo family. And he also accused Mr. Bo of trying to silence concerns about the case. But his critics claim that Mr. Bo’s populist facade hid abuses of power and corrupt self-enrichment by him and his family. Mr. Bo abruptly fell from power in March last year, more than a month after the former police chief of Chongqing, Wang Lijun, fled to a United States Consulate. Mr. Wang disclosed accusations that Mr. Bo’s wife, Gu Kailai, was involved in the murder of a British businessman, Neil Heywood, who knew the Bo family. And he also accused Mr. Bo of trying to silence concerns about the case.
Ms. Gu was tried in August, and found guilty of poisoning to death Mr. Heywood in a hotel villa in Chongqing in November. Mr. Bo was expelled from the Communist Party in September, when authorities began a formal criminal investigation. Ms. Gu was tried last August and found guilty of poisoning to death Mr. Heywood in a hotel villa in Chongqing in November 2011. Mr. Bo was expelled from the Communist Party in September 2012, when the authorities began a formal criminal investigation.
“We still don’t know what specific allegations lie behind the three charges against Bo Xilai,” said Li Zhuang, a lawyer in Beijing who became one of Mr. Bo’s fiercest critics after Mr. Li was jailed in Chongqing. Mr. Li worked as a lawyer for a Chongqing businessman accused of running a criminal network.“We still don’t know what specific allegations lie behind the three charges against Bo Xilai,” said Li Zhuang, a lawyer in Beijing who became one of Mr. Bo’s fiercest critics after Mr. Li was jailed in Chongqing. Mr. Li worked as a lawyer for a Chongqing businessman accused of running a criminal network.
“He could be accused of abusing power by trying to conceal or failing to report the Heywood murder,” said Mr. Li, in a telephone interview. “From what I’ve heard, the sums involved in the corruption case are not as much as in some other corruption cases, but I think Bo Xilai’s damage to rule of law, private enterprise and justice was much worse than those other cases.” “He could be accused of abusing power by trying to conceal or failing to report the Heywood murder,” Mr. Li said in a telephone interview. “From what I’ve heard, the sums involved in the corruption case are not as much as in some other corruption cases, but I think Bo Xilai’s damage to rule of law, private enterprise and justice was much worse than those other cases.”
Mr. Bo has not been seen or heard from since March of last year. While there has been some speculation that Mr. Bo has admitted to the allegations against him, no reports have surfaced as to how he will l plead at the trial. But the government is taking no chances by holding the trial in Jinan, a city about 810 miles from Chongqing, where many residents still think fondly of Mr. Bo.Mr. Bo has not been seen or heard from since March of last year. While there has been some speculation that Mr. Bo has admitted to the allegations against him, no reports have surfaced as to how he will l plead at the trial. But the government is taking no chances by holding the trial in Jinan, a city about 810 miles from Chongqing, where many residents still think fondly of Mr. Bo.
Another complication is that Mr. Bo is a “princeling” — the son of a revolutionary who served alongside Mao Zedong — and had personal ties with many other princelings, including Xi Jinping, who was appointed Communist Party chief in November. Since coming to office, Mr. Xi has promised to clean out corruption and waste in the party, and to remove crooked officials.Another complication is that Mr. Bo is a “princeling” — the son of a revolutionary who served alongside Mao Zedong — and had personal ties with many other princelings, including Xi Jinping, who was appointed Communist Party chief in November. Since coming to office, Mr. Xi has promised to clean out corruption and waste in the party, and to remove crooked officials.
A Chinese businessman who is friends with other princelings said some of them have continued to voice misgivings that Mr. Bo is being treated too harshly, even if he deserved censure for his mistakes. A Chinese businessman who is friends with other princelings said some of them had continued to voice misgivings that Mr. Bo was being treated too harshly, even if he deserved censure for his mistakes.