BO Canned

choi

(1) Keith B Richburg, Bo Xilai Fired in Chinese Communist Party Leadership Shake-Up. Washington Post,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wo ... QA3uaLDS_story.html

My comment:
(a) In today's newspapers (print edition), only New York Times has a brief report of Bo's removal--apparently a last-minute addition before the newpaper went to print.
(b) I do not know if the Washington Post report is in print today--but Mr Richburg made a report of the sacking in Post's website dated Mar 14 (yesterday). In any event, his above report has the most substance so far in various Western media.

(2) Malcolm Moore, Bo Xilai Analysis: a light that burned twice as bright - but half as long. Daily telegraph, Mar 15, 2012.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ ... t-half-as-long.html

Quote:

"As a result, he [Bo's replacement ZHANG Dejiang, as Chongqing party chief] is one of the most hated officials in China, but has risen smoothly to the top. By contrast, Mr Bo was one of the most loved. He is still regarded by the people of the northern town of Dalian, where he was mayor for seven years, as the best leader they ever had. In Chongqing, people were asking why they did not get a say in whether he could stay on as their party secretary.

In the end, though, his star burned too brightly. When Mr Bo ran into trouble, he did not have any supporters who would risk their necks for him, especially in a year of political transition.

My comment:
(a) The subtitle; "Seven years ago, at the height of a trade spat between Europe and China, Bo Xilai faced Peter Mandelson across the negotiating table."

Peter Mandelson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Mandelson
(1953- ; a British Labour Party politician; table: European Commissioner for Trade 2004-2008)
(b) Amid nearly universal glee in western media, this report stands out.