The second day of Bo Xilai's trial has wrapped up, and the Chinese regime has taken a pretty different approach to the first day, at least in terms of what they've decided to make public. It's probably because during the first day, Bo Xilai flatly denied the bribery allegations against him, and called one witness a mad dog. So on Friday, as the trial continued, state media stopped the live broadcast. The court in Jinan, Shandong province was also much, much slower in releasing details about what was said in court. We did find out though that Bo Xilai's wife, Gu Kailai - who's currently in jail herself, provided evidence against Bo via a pre-recorded video. She said that Bo was old friends with businessman Xu Ming, and that Bo was fully aware that Xu had paid for their son, Bo Guagua's tuition in expensive schools overseas. She said Bo also knew she had gotten Xu Ming to help her buy a mansion in Eruope, and that Bo had checked with her to see whether it would be safe. And in response to that testimony, just like he did on Thursday, Bo again denied all of those claims, and then said that his wife had gone crazy. The turn of events has been pretty interesting. Most people thought the whole trial would be tightly scripted. But Bo Xilai's stubborn denials seem to have thrown things off course. So, why would Bo Xilai go off script? Wouldn't Chinese leaders have struck a deal with him before even allowing the trial to start? Well, the leadership, including Communist Party Chief Xi Jinping probably thought they had deal. But they didn't realize how cunning Bo would be. He's probably gambling on the fact that Xi Jinping doesn't have it in him to actually give him a death sentence. Both Xi and Bo grew up as part of the Chinese regime's princelings circle. If Xi took down one of their own, so to speak, it may put the other princelings on alert and this would alienate Xi - something he wouldn't want because he's still consolidating power. So, he knows he won't be killed. At 64 year's old, if Bo confesses and get 15 or 20 years in jail, he'd be well beyond 80 by the time he gets out. Compare that to if he denies everything, and has the book thrown at him and get life imprisonment or a suspended life sentence....that's probably not too different an outcome. Plus, because the allegations in court implicates Bo's son, Bo Guagua, Bo possibly wants to protect him by just denying the charges. If Xi Jinping did make a deal with Bo, then I'd say he really made a deal with devil. We've talked about how Bo Xilai's actual crimes go so far beyond what these current charges are...things like working with the faction of this former Chinese leader and persecuting Falun Gong and being implicated in killing people for their organs and selling corpses...But these crimes involved competing factions within the Communist leadership, and if they were exposed, could literally end the Party's ability to maintain legitimacy. Bo knows this very well, so he really thinks he's got nothing to lose. Of course -- all of this broohaaing could actually be scripted -- ie, the Chinese regime is putting on this show so it can say, see, the law works perfectly here, the accused had every chance to face his accusers and defend the charges. But he's still guilty, so he'll be sent to jail. Unless that is what's happening, then the trial really signals something pretty scary for the Communist Party. Because the top leaders have lost their ability to maintain control over one of the biggest trial in modern Chinese politics, and the whole world is watching. If they can' scrap together some resemblance of order in this critical case...then, who knows who else will break rank and deal another big blow to the Party? How do you guys think this case will play out?

• published: 23 Aug 2013
• views: 1438