Critics warn the public not to fall for Bo Xilai’s oratory flair
Chinese public appear largely convinced by party secretary's self-portrayal as victim
Bo Xilai’s fierce defence in court during his five-day long trial in Jinan has captivated the Chinese public in a way unforeseen by those who wanted to stage a seemingly transparent and legitimate final act to his spectacular downfall.
In a front-page commentary, the Communist Party’s leading newspaper The People’s Daily proclaimed that former Chongqing Party Secretary Bo’s trial showed the party’s determination to fight corruption.
But online the narrative has shifted from allegations of Bo’s corruption to his misgivings about his family, showing that large parts of the Chinese public have been convinced by his self-portrayal as an unfortunate victim of his wife’s dealings.
Bo said in court he had caught Chongqing’s police chief slapping himself in the face so as to demonstrate his love for the municipal party secretary’s wife of more than two decades, Gu Kailai. Bo admitted partial responsibility for causing Wang Lijun’s later attempted defection to the US consulate in Chengdu due to the revelations in his private life.
