A4 Thursday, August 22, 2013 Thursday, August 22, 2013 A5 FOCUS FOCUS : his descent into darkness

After heady years spent climbing the party ladder, the colourful life of Bo Xilai will be judged by what happens in a grim Shandong court ...... thought about fleeing, Xinhua enrolled at New York’s Keith Zhai reported. Columbia Law School. [email protected] Gu and Wang had lunch in a As he spoke of his anger, Bo private room at police leaned back and laughed. “Not headquarters on February 4. only my son, but my wife and I January, 2012 Waiters outside the room heard have no personal assets … my No 36 Zhongshansi Road, a Gu crying. wife closed her law firm 20 years compound of rust-coloured On February 6, Wang sought ago to avoid gossip … I’m very villas secluded behind thick refuge in the US consulate in touched and feel deeply sorry for foliage in downtown Chengdu , where he told her sacrifice.” , is easily ignored from the US diplomats about Gu’s The details of the mysterious street. And that is just the way involvement in Heywood’s phone call remain unclear, but the people who live there like it. murder. some insiders say it was from his There are no names on the Wang’s dramatic escape brother Bo Xicheng, telling him brick houses and the armed made headlines around the Gu had been detained. soldiers at the gate ensure what world the next day. But Bo Five days later, then-premier goes on inside stays there. carried on as usual, going on a Wen Jiabao said in his There is good reason for the sightseeing tour in Yunnan annual press conference on the secrecy. No 36 Zhongshansi and feeding the seagulls at Dian last day of the NPC session that Road is where the power is. Lake, near Kunming . The the authorities should learn Inside, Bo Xilai , one provincial capital is also home to lessons from Wang’s attempted of the Communist Party’s the 14th Group Army, a People’s defection. highest-flying officials, was the Liberation Army unit led by Bo’s “We will give the people the king of his domain. father, Bo Yibo , in the results of the investigation and He was sometimes referred 1930s. the handling [of the case], so that to by local officials as “building Local media reported that Bo it can withstand the test of law No 3”, after the house in which was there to “cherish the and history,” Wen said. He then his family lived. Bo rode a wave memory of revolutionary launched into a criticism of that swept him to the top of the ancestors”. But online sites were Chongqing’s leadership, without megacity of 32 million people running hot with speculation mentioning Bo by name. and onto the national stage. that with his career facing While the speech was not a Had he clung on a bit longer, disaster, Bo was courting sentence handed down by a the 64-year-old would very political support from the court, in a country where politics possibly have joined the military. trumps the judiciary it signalled Standing Committee of the A person with close ties with Bo’s political doom. Politburo at the 18th party Bo’s family said he had been It’s a system that Bo must congress, and perhaps climbed unruffled and remained understand well. even higher. confident he could turn the But even the best-laid plans situation around. He said Bo can be derailed. looked relaxed and there were ‘Great prospects’ The governor’s fortunes few signs of anxiety at a family Born in Beijing three months started to unravel in building reunion dinner in Beijing in before Mao Zedong No 1of the compound on the early March. proclaimed the founding of the morning of January 29 last year “Bo gave his family members People’s Republic in October when he slapped his trusted the impression that he would 1949, Bo is the fourth son of the crime-buster Wang Lijun handle Wang’s defection late Bo Yibo, a revolutionary in the face. attempt well,” the person said. hero who emerged as a “As a princeling [son of a prominent figure in the new revolutionary leader], Bo was government. excessively confident his family The young Bo grew up at a connections were up to any task time of national optimism, with and thus became too reckless.” Mao declaring that China would

take its place as the most g n

powerful country in the world. o W

On the defensive

Mao’s emphasis on the y On March 9, in Beijing’s Great political mobilisation of ordinary

Hall of the People during the citizens, especially the poor, Hen r Bo Xilai at a party gathering just National People’s Congress, Bo clearly left a deep impression on

before his downfall last year. openly defended himself and his young Bo, who practised similar ation: family in a two-hour press ideas decades later in

conference. Chongqing. Illust r More than 150 journalists “In Mao’s ideology, the crowded into the large meeting masses were the source of his room to soak up his every word, power, and it was important to Bo was confident with hundreds more blocked get their support,” said historian his family ties from entering. Bo held court in Zhang Lifan . “Bo is a the middle of the room, smiling blind follower of Mao’s ideology. were up to any confidently. After innocuous He loves the mass campaigns.” questions from state-controlled His life was turned upside task and thus media, a Japanese down in 1966 when Mao became too correspondent from the Asahi launched the Cultural newspaper finally raised the Revolution. Bo’s father was reckless issue of his right-hand man’s labelled a “rightist” and a dramatic move. “counter-revolutionary” and A SOURCE CLOSE TO BO’S FAMILY “After this problem arose, I purged from his posts. Bo felt sad,” Bo replied in a clear, suffered too, spending five years Bo is mad. “Ingrate,” he yells soft voice. “There was in a labour camp. at Wang. He smashes a glass and negligence on my part when I His father was tortured and waves his hand in Wang’s face. appointed people.” his mother, Hu Ming, Wang unsuccessfully tries to Just then, his phone vibrated committed suicide, according to dodge the slap. Blood streams and, after checking the number, official accounts, though some programme in international ahead of individual liberty. Bo unusually long 10 days. During profusely. “The whole town United States and Europe and quick success, so everything he complained about the expensive tortured – a move critics said television officials to a meeting to his fans, he might well be out of his mouth, according to he left the room, telling historians say she died after journalism at the Chinese learned well, and later went on the trip, he wrote a piece of turned out to say goodbye to attracted additional foreign did in Chongqing was aimed at trees, but they still enjoyed was designed to deter lawyers in late 2010, where he suggested reminded of classic images of senior police officers and Chongqing major being torture by red guards. The Academy of Social Sciences, to become exceptionally skilled calligraphy describing the city as their good mayor Bo,” local investment. going back to Beijing to become telling visitors about their city’s from helping suspects. halting all advertising from the Mao on the Tiananmen businessmen who were later , who was sitting next to accusations stemmed from a graduating in 1982. in manipulating media coverage a “pearl of the north”. media reported, adding that But one ministry official said someone bigger,” said the new look. One local businessman, start of 2011. rostrum welcoming his red told of the clash. him, to “go on answering the power struggle between Mao Hu Sisheng, a former to boost his public profile. Regardless, the city’s tears were flowing and that it people were scared of Bo Chongqing businessman. Almost every cab driver said Chen Guixue , recalled “Chief Bo, the problem is we guards. “The conflict was made questions”. and former Politburo Standing reporter with the party residents appreciated the took Bo more than half an hour because he would shout abuse “Chongqing was his Bo had made fundamental, $ that the police had once have sold the advertising for next Bo’s powers had peaked. public after Wang was slapped,” When he returned a few Committee chairman Liu Shaoqi mouthpiece People’s Daily, was Politician on the rise improved infrastructure and to walk 200 metres because he at anyone he was dissatisfied springboard.” positive changes to the 160m tormented him with the claim: year,” a station director told him. Today, little more than two said Guo Weiguo , minutes later he became . Bo’s father was widely one of his supervisors. “Bo Xilai public facilities and mainland was surrounded by so many with. “He was like the king and After he arrived in landscape and praised the “Don’t you realise that our chief, “I don’t care. You don’t talk years later, Bo is in a prison former deputy police chief of the agitated and began to defend his seen as a close ally of Liu. was a young man with great In 1984, Bo became the party media hailed Dalian as the people. took the ministry as his personal Chongqing, Bo invited a group affordable public housing and Bo’s relatives are believed to Bo, will become the president in about money with me,” Bo said cell, facing a trial today that municipality and a protégé of family. “Some people are After being released in 1972, prospects. He had no head of Jin county, an country’s “most beautiful city”. The story was picked up by territory,” the official said. of local figures to make other welfare programmes. have amassed a fortune of the future, and that our police angrily, according to a person will dictate the rest of his life. Wang’s, according to a report of pouring dirty water on Bo worked at a machine repair government ranking, no money, underdeveloped part of Dalian Bo enjoyed the applause and media nationwide, and Bo also attracted many suggestions for managing the at least this much, in US boss Wang [Lijun] will become from the city’s propaganda “Bo’s problem was that he his interrogation carried by Chongqing, myself and my factory in Beijing. He enrolled at but dreamed of being a reporter , Liaoning . His father, stepped up landscaping projects commentators compared him to supporters no matter where he city. But at least one dollars minister [of public security]?” organs who was briefed about had too much power. The Xinhua. family,” Bo said. “They even said the prestigious Peking on international affairs,” Hu who was rehabilitated in 1978, and propaganda. He instructed honest and upright officials from worked. China Comment, a businessman soon found out The crackdown Chen, who was tortured for the meeting. lust for power was the only The slap happened a day my son, who is studying abroad, University in 1977, after taking wrote in his memoir. was the country’s top political that a type of grass known as China’s ancient history. But popular party magazine, that Bo only wanted to work on While Bo found support among 37 days in a Chongqing motel He pulled a sheet of paper goal of his life,” said Zhang after Wang told Bo that his wife, was driving a red Ferrari. It is the first university entrance Bo didn’t become a adviser at the time. xilai – pronounced the same as those who disliked him reported that a stand at a trade things that offered fast returns. Chongqing’s poor and working room by police officers who from his jacket and said: “Take a Sizhi , the country’s Gu Kailai , was a key total nonsense. It makes me very exam after its reinstatement journalist. The low-key appointment his given name, though written suspected that everything he did fair collapsed because too many “I made some suggestions on class by using state funds to wanted him to confess to bribery look. I have a list of shows that most eminent lawyer. “He suspect in the murder two mad.” after a decade of nationwide Like most mainland was seen by some as an attempt using different Chinese in the city was just a show. people squeezed onto it, trying education and to provide a boost consumption and invest linked to former Chongqing you can air on the channel.” would have become another months earlier of British Bo and Gu’s 25-year-old son, chaos. journalism students at the time, to avoid allegations of nepotism. characters – be planted all over Liaoning party secretary Wen to catch a glimpse of Bo. It also better environment for poor in infrastructure, his high-profile mayor Wang Hongju , After that, the person who Mao if he grabbed more businessman Neil Heywood. Bo Guagua , has denied Unlike many of his he studied the Marxist view of Bo received little attention as a the city so that whenever tourists Shizhen, technically Bo’s said that its reporter noticed a kids, but Bo’s assistant Wu campaigns raised eyebrows said the police told him that Bo was briefed said, everyone in the power.” Wang, who initially helped Gu driving a red Ferrari to the contemporaries in the party journalism, which holds that low-ranking official but when he or party leaders visited they superior, criticised him on many tall, beautiful woman standing Wenkang told me those among the party elite. was the law. Wang, who became room realised Bo had made his Zhang, who defended the cover up the murder, wanted to Beijing residence of then US leadership who studied news and publications are became more famous, in 2001, would see vast expanses of grass occasions – without naming him next to Bo during an interview. proposals were time consuming His cracked down on officials the city’s mayor in 2002, was decision and there was nothing “Gang of Four”, the radical review the case after his ambassador Jon Huntsman in engineering, Bo decided on weapons to be used by the state media recalled his days in and new parks and plazas. – for “developing the city like She later said she was a big fan and it would be hard for them to who supported gangsters, transferred in 2009. more to discuss. He also said Bo leftists led by Mao’s widow relationship with Gu turned sour 2011to pick up his daughter for a world history. But in his second authorities and that the Jin county and praised him for Despite his achievements in Europe but the countryside like and had pretended to be a have a huge impact on the including the municipality’s “Soon after the start of the checked video footage of himself Jiang Qing , said Bo’s and his post was threatened by a date. The younger Bo is now year he switched to a master’s wellbeing of the party came “managing the ancient county in Dalian and his princeling Africa”. reporter to get close to him. country,” the businessman said. police chief, Wen Qiang , crackdown on the gangs, we before it was broadcast and case reflected the drawback probe by party disciplinary perfect order”. background, Bo failed to win “Officials who love vanity There was another dramatic Even though his family was widely seen as a close ally of understood a witch hunt against sometimes ordered several of the entire bureaucratic watchdogs. He spent the next 16 years in election to the party’s 15th projects are those eagerly scene when Bo left his tortured during the Cultural previous Chongqing party chiefs dissenting opinions had modifications. “He managed his system. “Because of the lack Dalian, going on to become national congress in 1997, which seeking quick success and ministerial position in late 2007. Revolution, Bo’s thirst for power and started,” said the former deputy image so carefully,” the person of supervision and balance of mayor in 1993 and party could have secured his elevation instant benefits,” Wen said in a A video posted online showed saw him turn to techniques that . head of a district-level police said. “He knew what was power, Bo’s saga could Wang’s flight secretary in 1999. to the party’s elite Central 2005 interview with Oriental him walking the red carpet at a have been compared with that Bo’s flamboyant bubble bureau, who was purged after important to him so that he happen to any official in the Several sources said Wang and During that time the city Committee. A retired official in Outlook. “Most of the projects farewell party. He made a bitter period of Chinese history. burst when Wen Qiang was his brother was imprisoned for could realise his goals.” country. For people like him, Gu had an intimate relationship. achieved phenomenal growth as Shenyang said resentment are not urgently needed but only speech while holding the arm of He embarked on a series of executed soon after his verdict being a close ally of Wen Qiang The biggest red song festival the pursuit of absolute power Wang was the only person who the mainland embraced reform among local officials was the serve as shows to impress higher his mother-in-law, Fan spectacular campaigns to stay in was announced, without even For people like and Wang Hongju. was held in June 2011, with Bo has become a maniacal could get into building No 3 at and opened up the economy. biggest factor. officials.” Chengxiu, who was also a the national limelight, including the chance to say farewell to his Bo, the pursuit of inviting 108 choirs from across passion,” he said. any time without permission. A The many infrastructure “Many higher-up officials in On the sidelines of last year’s revolutionary veteran. His wife the staging of mass public family. Analysts said top party the mainland to participate at The master of the leading lawyer said Bo was angry projects included the Liaoning disliked him. He was party congress, when asked for Gu was standing behind them. gatherings to sing nostalgic, leaders were alarmed by the absolute power Silencing dissent the Chongqing Olympic Centre. compound at 36 after learning of his wife’s affair mainland’s first expressway, insolent, easily got mad and his thoughts on the downfall of “Let’s sing a song. I will take revolutionary songs, while also move, sensing that it showed Bo As well as attacking gangs, Bo More than 100,000 people were Zhongshansi Road is now with Wang. linking it to the provincial verbally abused other people,” Bo, Wen burst into laughter. the lead, ” Bo proposed. “Union launching heavy-handed was cold-blooded and would has become a launched a vigorous campaign involved, waving red flags and , one of “Wang was trying to threaten capital, Shenyang . the former official said. “He The criticism did not stop Bo is strength, union is strength, crackdowns on organised crime. crack down on political enemies maniacal passion to promote traditional singing patriotic songs. just two members of the Bo in the hope that Bo could In a system where regional believed he was a princeling and rising further, and that may have one, two three.” At the same time the city unmercifully. communist ideology, sending “These are songs that have Politburo born after 1960 and protect him from the officials are judged largely on should be treated differently.” reinforced his belief in the power The revolutionary song launched its most ambitious “The top leaders thought he LAWYER ZHANG SIZHI (BELOW) bureaucrats to work alongside saved the nation, built up the a front runner to join the next investigation, but Bo would their economic prowess, Bo did of propaganda, leading to bigger echoed through the chamber. low-income rental housing would always make trouble for farmers in the countryside and nation and strengthened the generation of national never tolerate such a threat,” a great job, with Dalian’s GDP shows of mass support that scheme and a massive tree- them,” said Professor Mao dragooning them into his nation … There are some who leaders. said a Chongqing businessman growing more than 12 per cent a Governor and minister culminated in campaigns in planting campaign, in which the Shoulong , a political revolutionary song festivals. say, is this not too ‘leftist’? Is this The villas don’t seem to and Bo adviser. “Wang was year, more than the country’s Despite their opposition, Bo was Chongqing that contributed to A ‘springboard’ government spent billions of scientist at Renmin University. He also maintained a tight not a return to the Cultural have changed during all the nothing but a tool for him to average. named Liaoning governor in his eventual downfall. After being elevated to yuan on ginkgo trees. He was criticised for grip on the media, sending Revolution? If only you could be drama of the past year, still reach the peak of his power. He Some critics said the growth 2001. Bo started to gain membership of the party’s 25- “Bo loves the ginkgo tree neglecting due process and quotations from Mao to millions there to experience it for disengaged from the outside had made it clear he was the had much to do with Bo’s father The day he left Dalian for his international fame when he was man Politburo in 2007 Bo was because it’s tall and noble, just using torture to extract of mobile phone users and yourself, you would know that world, their inhabitants rarely boss since coming to who, although retired, remained new posting, the citizens named commerce minister in sent to Chongqing, taking over like him,” said a district-level confessions. Beijing-based forcing the local television that is not the case,” Bo told the bothering to peer through the Chongqing.” close to then president Jiang swarmed into the streets waving 2004. His shrewd negotiating from Wang Yang , now a police chief, who had to spend lawyer Li Zhuang , who station to drop advertising and Chongqing Daily. thickets and brambles at their When Wang found out a few Zemin . Jiang visited the banners and posters saying skills, good English and liberal vice-premier, in the 600,000 yuan to plant two ginkgo gave legal advice to criminal adopt programming that But if Bo saw the video subjects, who are left to days later that three colleagues port city on its 100th anniversary farewell. He shook hands with outlook made him a star as he southwestern metropolis. trees in front of his offices to suspects, was convicted of extolled revolutionary virtues. footage of himself standing on wonder at it all. were also under investigation, he Then Liaoning governor Bo Xilai confidently faces the press in 2003. Photos: SCMP Pictures, Reuters in August 1999 and stayed for an thousands and thanked them handled trade disputes with the “He wanted nothing but please Bo. Ordinary citizens fabricating evidence after being Bo summoned Chongqing top of the sports centre waving