34 Facts About Bo Xilai

Bo Xilai is a Chinese former politician who was convicted on bribery and embezzlement charges.

Bo Xilai was generally considered the main political opponent of Xi Jinping before Xi became the paramount leader of China.

Bo Xilai is the son of former Chinese Vice Premier Bo Yibo.

Bo Xilai cultivated a casual and charismatic image in a marked departure from Chinese political convention.

Bo Xilai was later stripped of all his positions and lost his seat at the National People's Congress and eventually expelled from the party.

Bo Xilai's father was the Communist revolutionary Bo Yibo, one of the Eight Great Eminent Officials, who served as Minister of Finance in the early years of the People's Republic of China but who fell from favor in 1965 for supporting more open trade relations with the West.

Bo Xilai was seventeen years old when the Cultural Revolution began, and at the time attended the prestigious Beijing No 4 High School.

Bo Xilai was admitted to the Peking University when the gaokao was reinstated in 1977.

Bo Yibo advanced the idea that revolutionary elders should 'nominate' their children to become high officials, and Bo Xilai was selected as his family's 'representative' over his older brother Bo Xicheng, ostensibly because of Xilai's superior academic credentials, which included attendance at the elite Peking University and a master's degree.

Bo Xilai was particularly enthusiastic about the policy, stating his desire to see the Northeast become "China's fourth economic engine".

Ultimately, although Bo Xilai remained a top contender for higher promotion, Xi and Li remained the main candidates to succeed Hu Jintao as paramount leader.

Bo Xilai began tackling the imbalance from the retail sector, whose success up to that point was largely dependent on foreign companies.

Bo Xilai drew up plans to protect Chinese industries' competitive position within a domestic market that was quickly being crowded out by foreign competition.

Bo Xilai was then tipped to leave the Ministry of Commerce and take over as CCP Committee secretary of Chongqing.

Bo Xilai had hoped to become vice premier instead, but Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice Premier Wu Yi argued against Bo's promotion to vice-premiership.

Bo Xilai's handling of the situation earned him praise as a comparatively restrained and progressive leader.

Bo Xilai carried on with policies initiated by his predecessors which focused on domestic consumption, rather than export-led growth.

Bo Xilai cultivated a casual and charismatic image in a marked departure from Chinese political convention.

Bo Xilai reportedly called subordinates to late-night meetings, publicly criticized and humiliated those with whom he disagreed, and even hit underlings who failed to meet his demands.

Bo Xilai was a long-time associate of the Bo family: he reportedly shared a close personal relationship with Bo's wife, Gu Kailai.

Bo Xilai remained in the consulate for approximately 24 hours before leaving "of his own volition" and being taken into the custody of state security officials dispatched from Beijing.

Bo Xilai was accused of major disciplinary violations and corruption charges during his tenure in Dalian, the Ministry of Commerce and Chongqing, including in relation to the Gu Kailai case.

Bo Xilai cross-examined Xu and denied knowledge of many of the payments.

Bo Xilai is thus associated with Jiang's faction, sometimes referred to as the "elitists", that is generally known to favor a model that emphasizes free trade, economic development in the coastal regions, and export-led growth.

Bo Xilai sought to promote "red culture", and mandated the revival of Mao-era slogans and songs, evoking memories that were romantic to the conservative left, but painful to the liberal right of Chinese politics.

In 1978, the gaokao was re-instated and Bo Xilai was admitted to Peking University, where Gu Kailai was a student.

Bo Xilai was then hired by Citigroup, before becoming a businessman, active in Dalian and Beijing.

Bo Xilai founded an investment company named "Chong'er" and adopted the pseudonym "Xiaobai".

In October 2011, Bo Xilai relayed Gu's suspicions that his eldest son had poisoned her to Li Danyu's older brother, Li Xiaoxue, who is married to Gu's older sister.

Bo Xilai's mother, Fan Chengxiu, was a descendant of the renowned Song dynasty chancellor and poet Fan Zhongyan.

Bo Xilai lived there primarily until 2007 and reportedly experienced a change in temperament after returning to China, staying at home without working and becoming increasingly paranoid and isolated.

Bo Xilai was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, which was commuted to life imprisonment in 2015.

Bo Xilai's womanising is said to push his wife, Gu, into relying on a circle of close confidants, including Patrick Henri Devillers, Larry Cheng, Neil Heywood, and Wang Lijun, usually leading to speculation about romantic relationships.

Bo Xilai won the case in Hong Kong but lost in Taiwan.