Disgraced officials Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai formed ‘clique’ to challenge leaders: state media
Former security chief Zhou Yongkang and one-time high-flier Bo Xilai formed a “clique” together, state media reports today as President Xi Jinping vows crackdown on Communist Party factionalism.
The two biggest Chinese politicians to fall in recent years, former security chief Zhou Yongkang and one-time high-flier Bo Xilai, formed a “clique” together, state media reported today as President Xi Jinping pledged a crackdown on Communist Party factionalism.
The two men “celebrated their political rapport” and vowed to “play a big game”, the China Daily said, citing a lengthy report in Phoenix Weekly magazine.
The article appears to be the first time that mainland media have reported allegations of a faction formed by the two once-powerful men, long seen as allies by analysts.
China’s ruling party is riven by factional divisions, but consistently seeks to present a united front to outsiders.
Zhou, who was arrested and expelled from the ruling party last month, is the most senior party official to face prosecution since the 1980s, in a fall that sent shock waves through the communist elite.
He moved one step closer to trial last week when the party’s internal watchdog announced that his case had been sent to prosecutors.
Officially the action against Zhou is part of Xi’s much-publicised anti-corruption drive that has targeted both high-level “tigers” as well as low-level “flies”.