I don’t think I have ever seen the British newspapers quite so interested in Chinese politics. Even the tabloids in London have the Bo Xilai story on their front pages. Of course it is not so much the power struggle at the top of the Communist Party that interests them. Rather it is the salacious details of the case: a murdered old Harrovian in a hotel room in China; hints of a sex scandal; allegations of corruption; a son who went to Balliol College, Oxford and enjoyed parties and fast cars.Amidst all this, however, the chosen narrative of the Chinese Communist Party seems to be prevailing. Bo Xilai was dangerous, corrupt and brutal – he had to go. It certainly seems clear that the crackdown on crime in Chongqing was extremely brutal, and the Bo family were clearly wealthy. But then again, the Chinese system as a whole is not noted for its respect for human-rights. And there are other top political families in China who have accumulated great wealth.
At a dinner in London last night with a group of Chinese academics and journalists, I got offered an alternative explanation for the downfall of Bo Xilai. He was too popular. Read More
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