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| As Surprisingly Open Trial Begins in China, Fallen Politician Shows Defiance | As Surprisingly Open Trial Begins in China, Fallen Politician Shows Defiance |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| JINAN, China — Bo Xilai, the politician who fell from the heights of China’s elite, took a pugnacious stand on Thursday in the opening session of China’s most closely watched trial in decades, denying that he took millions of dollars in bribes and ridiculing his wife’s testimony against him. | JINAN, China — Bo Xilai, the politician who fell from the heights of China’s elite, took a pugnacious stand on Thursday in the opening session of China’s most closely watched trial in decades, denying that he took millions of dollars in bribes and ridiculing his wife’s testimony against him. |
| According to lengthy transcripts the court released in an extraordinary show of transparency, Mr. Bo, 64, called his wife’s assertions that she had noticed anonymous deposits in their safe “laughable.” He accused a businessman who had recorded video testimony against him of having “sold his soul.” And he discounted his earlier confession to taking bribes, saying he had made the statements to Communist Party investigators against his will, out of “opportunism and weakness” and under “mental strain.” | |
| The authorities’ unexpected openness about the trial — by allowing a running court microblog that was followed by millions of Chinese directly or through news reports drawing on the microblog — turned what many had expected to be banal ritual into an unpredictable display of Mr. Bo’s defiance. | The authorities’ unexpected openness about the trial — by allowing a running court microblog that was followed by millions of Chinese directly or through news reports drawing on the microblog — turned what many had expected to be banal ritual into an unpredictable display of Mr. Bo’s defiance. |
| But as the trial moved into its second and possibly final day on Friday, government and party media outlets unfurled several commentaries that feted the legal proceedings while ridiculing Mr. Bo over his denials — an unmistakeable signal that the Communist Party leadership would not let the skilled politician wriggle free of punishment. One signed commentary in the online edition of the People’s Daily stated: “What is regrettable is that, with regard to the facts, Bo Xilai made a supreme effort to quibble, to avoid the major charges while admitting the minor ones, and almost completely denied the facts of his crimes.” | |
| The dramatic first day raised questions about how party officials would continue to steer a delicate political process that has captivated Chinese scrutinizing it on the Internet. Officials set up a media center in a hotel across the street in this eastern provincial capital. Dozens of foreign journalists and a handful of reporters for Chinese state media gazed at large-screen televisions streaming the court feed. When the first photograph from the trial was posted before 11:30 a.m., showing the 6-foot-1 Mr. Bo standing with a bemused look between two towering police officers, journalists charged the televisions and snapped photos. | |
| Dressed in a white shirt and black pants with his hair neatly trimmed, Mr. Bo displayed some of the showmanship he deployed in climbing to the party chief post in Chongqing municipality and the elite Politburo, before he was felled last year by a scandal involving the death of a British businessman, a case in which his wife, Gu Kailai, was convicted of murder. Mr. Bo is also charged with abuse of power over allegations he obstructed an investigation into the death, and with embezzlement. | Dressed in a white shirt and black pants with his hair neatly trimmed, Mr. Bo displayed some of the showmanship he deployed in climbing to the party chief post in Chongqing municipality and the elite Politburo, before he was felled last year by a scandal involving the death of a British businessman, a case in which his wife, Gu Kailai, was convicted of murder. Mr. Bo is also charged with abuse of power over allegations he obstructed an investigation into the death, and with embezzlement. |
| There were limits to the transparency. One person briefed on the proceedings said that some court testimony did not appear in the released transcripts. And by evening, censors had sanitized the comments section of the court microblog, removing many remarks skeptical of the justice process. | There were limits to the transparency. One person briefed on the proceedings said that some court testimony did not appear in the released transcripts. And by evening, censors had sanitized the comments section of the court microblog, removing many remarks skeptical of the justice process. |
| Analysts said that publicizing the hearing was the party’s attempt to lend legitimacy to a trial in which a guilty verdict and long prison sentence were almost certainly preordained. The hearing was not as public as the televised trial in 1980 of the Gang of Four blamed for the havoc of the Cultural Revolution. But officials issued about 60 real-time updates over the court microblog. | Analysts said that publicizing the hearing was the party’s attempt to lend legitimacy to a trial in which a guilty verdict and long prison sentence were almost certainly preordained. The hearing was not as public as the televised trial in 1980 of the Gang of Four blamed for the havoc of the Cultural Revolution. But officials issued about 60 real-time updates over the court microblog. |
| “This is the most open trial of its kind, certainly the most open among the ones we have seen recently,” He Weifang, a law professor at Peking University, said in a telephone interview. “He seems to be speaking his mind, judging from his speech and the words he used.” | “This is the most open trial of its kind, certainly the most open among the ones we have seen recently,” He Weifang, a law professor at Peking University, said in a telephone interview. “He seems to be speaking his mind, judging from his speech and the words he used.” |
| But over all, he added, “the whole court is controlled by Beijing.” | But over all, he added, “the whole court is controlled by Beijing.” |
| The party’s efforts at forging an aura of legitimacy could backfire. If evidence released during the trial proves flimsy, the public could side with Mr. Bo, whose Maoist slogans and new brand of socialism bolstered his popularity in Chongqing. | The party’s efforts at forging an aura of legitimacy could backfire. If evidence released during the trial proves flimsy, the public could side with Mr. Bo, whose Maoist slogans and new brand of socialism bolstered his popularity in Chongqing. |
| Mr. Bo insisted that he knew nothing of a villa on the French Riviera that prosecutors said Ms. Gu bought in 2000 with $3.2 million from Xu Ming, a young tycoon, or about a hot-air balloon venture between the two. He denied knowledge of a $16,000 trip to Africa made by his youngest son, Bo Guagua, and his friends; an $18,000 Segway-like vehicle that Mr. Xu bought for the son; and $50,000 of debt on the son’s credit card that Mr. Xu paid. | Mr. Bo insisted that he knew nothing of a villa on the French Riviera that prosecutors said Ms. Gu bought in 2000 with $3.2 million from Xu Ming, a young tycoon, or about a hot-air balloon venture between the two. He denied knowledge of a $16,000 trip to Africa made by his youngest son, Bo Guagua, and his friends; an $18,000 Segway-like vehicle that Mr. Xu bought for the son; and $50,000 of debt on the son’s credit card that Mr. Xu paid. |
| He said he did not know much about his wife and son’s expenses, because Ms. Gu was “a person of culture and taste, a modern intellectual woman,” so they did not discuss money. | He said he did not know much about his wife and son’s expenses, because Ms. Gu was “a person of culture and taste, a modern intellectual woman,” so they did not discuss money. |
| Mr. He, a critic of Mr. Bo’s past policies, said the prosecutor “appeared to be ill-prepared,” echoing a sentiment widely seen online. “In comparison,” he said, “Bo appears to be more authentic.” | Mr. He, a critic of Mr. Bo’s past policies, said the prosecutor “appeared to be ill-prepared,” echoing a sentiment widely seen online. “In comparison,” he said, “Bo appears to be more authentic.” |
| Since Mr. Bo was dismissed from his party chief post in March 2012 and placed under house arrest, party leaders have been concerned about his popular support. Some of the ardor among ordinary Chinese was in evidence on Thursday morning, as Bo supporters, some carrying Mao Zedong posters, showed up in Jinan at courthouse barricades guarded by the police. | Since Mr. Bo was dismissed from his party chief post in March 2012 and placed under house arrest, party leaders have been concerned about his popular support. Some of the ardor among ordinary Chinese was in evidence on Thursday morning, as Bo supporters, some carrying Mao Zedong posters, showed up in Jinan at courthouse barricades guarded by the police. |
| “I’m willing to do anything for him,” said a farmer, He Demin, 51, who had flown from Chongqing. “With him gone from Chongqing, security and morale have plummeted. We so need a person like him.” | “I’m willing to do anything for him,” said a farmer, He Demin, 51, who had flown from Chongqing. “With him gone from Chongqing, security and morale have plummeted. We so need a person like him.” |
| Mr. Bo started becoming combative midway through the morning session. Prosecutors charged that he had taken about $180,000 in cash bribes from a state company manager and longtime associate, Tang Xiaolin, in exchange for land and auto transactions that Mr. Bo granted as a top official in the northeast province of Liaoning. After watching video testimony from Mr. Tang, Mr. Bo said: “I really saw the ugliness of a person who sold his soul,” and, “He’s biting wildly like a mad dog.” | Mr. Bo started becoming combative midway through the morning session. Prosecutors charged that he had taken about $180,000 in cash bribes from a state company manager and longtime associate, Tang Xiaolin, in exchange for land and auto transactions that Mr. Bo granted as a top official in the northeast province of Liaoning. After watching video testimony from Mr. Tang, Mr. Bo said: “I really saw the ugliness of a person who sold his soul,” and, “He’s biting wildly like a mad dog.” |
| Prosecutors also read related testimony from Ms. Gu about the anonymous deposits in a shared safe. “I think Gu Kailai’s testimony is very amusing and very laughable,” Mr. Bo said. | |
| In the late afternoon, Mr. Bo and his lawyer parried the testimony of Mr. Xu, the young tycoon, who appeared in court and is accused of giving Mr. Bo’s family $3.4 million in bribes, mostly for the French villa. | In the late afternoon, Mr. Bo and his lawyer parried the testimony of Mr. Xu, the young tycoon, who appeared in court and is accused of giving Mr. Bo’s family $3.4 million in bribes, mostly for the French villa. |
| Some analysts say Mr. Bo might have agreed to accept the inevitable prison sentence in exchange for a chance to speak his mind, to a degree. All the information, including the official microblog posts, were still controlled by officials who generally knew what to expect, the analysts noted. | Some analysts say Mr. Bo might have agreed to accept the inevitable prison sentence in exchange for a chance to speak his mind, to a degree. All the information, including the official microblog posts, were still controlled by officials who generally knew what to expect, the analysts noted. |
| On Thursday night, Li Wangzhi, the son of Mr. Bo from his first marriage, who was in the courtroom, released a statement that said, “I thank the party central authorities and the court for giving the defendant greater rights to a defense and freedom than he had expected, allowing my father to speak his true mind.” | On Thursday night, Li Wangzhi, the son of Mr. Bo from his first marriage, who was in the courtroom, released a statement that said, “I thank the party central authorities and the court for giving the defendant greater rights to a defense and freedom than he had expected, allowing my father to speak his true mind.” |
| Mr. Li added that his father had “stood by his own ideas” through an investigation that lasted 500 days and involved more than 300 people. | Mr. Li added that his father had “stood by his own ideas” through an investigation that lasted 500 days and involved more than 300 people. |
Chris Buckley contributed reporting from Hong Kong. Patrick Zuo contributed research from Jinan, and Mia Li and Shi Da from Beijing. | Chris Buckley contributed reporting from Hong Kong. Patrick Zuo contributed research from Jinan, and Mia Li and Shi Da from Beijing. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: August 22, 2013 | Correction: August 22, 2013 |
An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to testimony from Gu Kailai, Bo Xilai’s wife. It was read aloud in court at Mr. Bo’s trial; it was not presented via video. | An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to testimony from Gu Kailai, Bo Xilai’s wife. It was read aloud in court at Mr. Bo’s trial; it was not presented via video. |