Wang Lijun Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison, Might Be The Most Interesting Man In China

Wang Lijun infographic
Via John Saeki Wang Lijun, who will forevermore be known as “flamboyant” in Western media, was sentenced to 15 years in prison today on four counts, “defection” probably being the gravest. That he did not get a more severe sentence is interesting, and bodes unwell for his one-time comrade Bo Xilai, with whom he will... Read more »

The Two-Day Trial Of Wang Lijun Is Over

Wang Lijun trial in Chengdu
The “open trial” of Wang Lijun, on charges of bribe-taking and “bending the law for selfish ends,” according to Xinhua, began this morning. It is now over, having taken place “under tight security before a carefully selected audience,” according to the Guardian, from which the above picture is taken. “Foreign journalists were not permitted to... Read more »

Bo Xilai Is In Big Trouble, And Yes, It Is Because Xinhua Says His Wife And Aide May Be Linked To Neil Heywood’s Death

Bo Xilai
Over the past month, there’s been a lot of smoke regarding Bo Xilai, some of which we’ve been happy to fan here, but when it comes to Chinese politics and media, you know there’s definitely a fire when that smoke is being blown by none other than Xinhua. A little more than an hour ago, the... Read more »

Bo Xilai, Be Well, And Godspeed

Bo Xilai
Earlier today, Bo Xilai was ousted from his post as party secretary of Chongqing, a stunning — if not altogether unexpected — end to an unusually public saga that began when Wang Lijun showed up at the US embassy in Chengdu on February 6 with dirt on his former boss. At 11:43 am, a film... Read more »