China Briefing | Secret arrests and hurried trials of politicians and tycoons belie Beijing’s ‘rule of law’ vows

It’s been some time since the trial of Bo Xilai was hailed a ‘victory for the rule of law in China’, and it seems upcoming trials targeting oligarchs will only damage the justice system’s credibility

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Former Chinese political star Bo Xilai stands in a courtroom in Jinan, east China's Shandong province. Bo was sentenced to life in prison. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:16pm, 5 May 2018Updated: 12:16pm, 5 May 2018

For five days in August 2013, the trial of Bo Xilai, once a rising political star slated for China’s top leadership, gripped the nation and made headlines around the world, and not just for its political intrigue, bribery and murder.

More importantly, the trial of the former member of the Communist Party’s Politburo and former party chief of the Chongqing municipality was then also hailed as “a victory for rule of law in China”, not only by state propaganda but also by some optimistic legal professionals at home and abroad.

The optimism was raised by the unusual transparency in which the trial was conducted. The proceedings in Bo’s trial were broadcast online and described in great detail through the court’s official account on Sina Weibo, China’s version of Twitter.

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By Western legal standards, the trial was still deeply flawed, but by Chinese standards, it was seen as a sign of Beijing’s commitment to its elusive goal of rule of law, raising expectations that it could be the start of a trend.

Sun Zhengcai was put on trial on April 12, accused of taking 170 million yuan in bribes over 15 years. Photo: Reuters

Now fast forward to April 12. Sun Zhengcai, another rising political star once groomed for China’s top leadership, stood trial on charges of taking more than 170 million yuan (US$28 million) in bribes in a span of 15 years. In a remarkable contrast to Bo’s case, Sun’s trial lasted less than half a day in a court in Tianjin.

The court merely announced the trial on Sina Weibo in the morning, shortly before the trial started. It did not bother to broadcast any of the proceedings.