By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN 06/06/12 04:23 AM ET AP
BEIJING — China's leadership faces a knotty choice in how to finish off fallen politician Bo Xilai
without further damaging the Communist Party's image: Purge him the old-fashioned way – in secret –
or run him through a public trial.
Analysts and a veteran party member say leaders are leaning toward a trial. But either way, the challenge
is to prevent lurid allegations that Bo abused his power and that his wife was involved in the murder of a
British businessman from upsetting a once-a-decade leadership transition just months away.
"Bo's political life is at an end," said Li Datong, a longtime state media editor forced from a senior editing
job for broaching sensitive subjects. "But the party will work to ensure that this goes no bigger and harms
their image no more than absolutely possible."
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=r-BO-XILAI-TRIAL-large570.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/r-BO-XILAI-TRIAL-large570.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The Communist Party's internal investigators are working with prosecutors to whittle down the
charges to portray Bo's infractions as individual acts unrelated to the system, the party member said.
While the unproven allegations against Bo range from illegal wiretapping to illicit sexual liaisons, the ones
that likely reflect worst on the party involve graft and flouting basic laws. Many Chinese see those vices
as endemic among their leaders, despite repeated avowals by the party to end them.
Putting Bo, 62, on trial would highlight how much public expectations in China are changing the ways the
party must operate. Now, after decades of rising prosperity and the spread of the Internet, many Chinese
expect the government to be more transparent and accountable.
BEIJING — China's leadership faces a knotty choice in how to finish off fallen politician Bo Xilai
without further damaging the Communist Party's image: Purge him the old-fashioned way – in secret –
or run him through a public trial.
Analysts and a veteran party member say leaders are leaning toward a trial. But either way, the challenge
is to prevent lurid allegations that Bo abused his power and that his wife was involved in the murder of a
British businessman from upsetting a once-a-decade leadership transition just months away.
"Bo's political life is at an end," said Li Datong, a longtime state media editor forced from a senior editing
job for broaching sensitive subjects. "But the party will work to ensure that this goes no bigger and harms
their image no more than absolutely possible."
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=r-BO-XILAI-TRIAL-large570.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/r-BO-XILAI-TRIAL-large570.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The Communist Party's internal investigators are working with prosecutors to whittle down the
charges to portray Bo's infractions as individual acts unrelated to the system, the party member said.
While the unproven allegations against Bo range from illegal wiretapping to illicit sexual liaisons, the ones
that likely reflect worst on the party involve graft and flouting basic laws. Many Chinese see those vices
as endemic among their leaders, despite repeated avowals by the party to end them.
Putting Bo, 62, on trial would highlight how much public expectations in China are changing the ways the
party must operate. Now, after decades of rising prosperity and the spread of the Internet, many Chinese
expect the government to be more transparent and accountable.
