Bo Xilai
Communist Party political drama unfolds on the Internet for millions of Chinese to see
Never before has such a dramatic power transfer in China unfolded in the Internet era. Making this even more dramatic is controversial news this week that a one-time popular party leader has been suspended from his posts and his wife has been arrested and charged with murder. All this is unfolding on the Internet in China.
China embroiled in political scandal after murder charges filed against wife of party leader
Gu Kailai, the wife of powerful Chinese political leader Bo Xilai, was charged in connection with the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, who was believed to have died in his hotel room in Chongqing. Bo was an up-and-coming political leader in China who has fallen from grace in the wake of a scandal amidst a leadership transition in the country.
China’s army newspaper warns troops to ignore rumors as controversy swirls before power transfer
China will undergo its once-in-a-decade leadership transition this year — and the stakes are always high. This year, though, rumors of military coups and political intrigue among top leaders is complicating matters and has political leaders doing their best to retain control.
China issues new regulation requiring lawyers to swear allegiance to Communist Party
China’s lawyers are hardly independent today, but a new regulation from the country’s Ministry of Justice would require all attorneys to swear allegiance to the Communist Party before being granted a license to practice law.
