Bo Xilai supporters set up new political party despite 'ban'
Zhi Xian Party names disgraced politician ‘chairman for life’
Supporters of disgraced senior politician Bo Xilai, have set up a political party in a direct challenge to the ruling Communist Party's de facto ban on new political groups.
The Zhi Xian Party, meaning "the constitution is the supreme authority" party, was formed on Wednesday, just three days before the third plenum.
It named Bo, who has been jailed for corruption, as "chairman for life", said Wang Zheng, one of the party's founders and an associate professor of international trade at the Beijing Institute of Economics and Management.
"This is not illegal under Chinese law. It is legal and reasonable," Wang said.
In an open letter posted on the internet, Wang said she was an "ordinary" college teacher who had never met Bo, but was inspired by him and impressed by his self-defence in court.
Wang told the she had not been harassed by the authorities since she posted the open letter on Thursday.
"As one of the founders of Zhi Xian Party, I have not got into any trouble so far," she said. But she said she did not mean to time the inauguration of the party with the sensitive third plenum.
"We planned to make the announcement after the second trial. Since they had the trial before we expected it, we had to make the announcement now."
The establishment of the party was announced in letters sent to the Communist Party, the eight non-communist political parties, parliament and the top advisory body to parliament, Wang said.
A letter was also sent to Bo via the warden of his prison, informing him that he would be their "chairman for life", she said.
It was not immediately clear if Bo would agree.
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