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TODAY IS IDES OF MARCH

POSTED BY EIZ ON THURSDAY, 15 MARCH, 2012, 10:59 AM

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Today-Is-Ides-of-March.png Whatever his fate may be, it will inextricably be linked to his former lieutenant, Wang Lijun who was also finally officially relieved of his job on this day, the Ides of March. gty bo xilai jp 120315 wblog Today Is Ides of March For Prominent Chinese ... Share |

TODAY IS IDES OF MARCH

Posted byo Eiz n Thursday, 15 March, 2012, 10:59 AM

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A high profile Chinese politician should have heeded those Shakespearean words as he found himself suddenly out of a job on March 15 and at the center of the most public airing of Chinese political drama in years, giving the world a glimpse into the intense power struggle happening among Chinas usually stolid ruling elites.

After a predictable week of political pageantry at Chinas annual National Peoples Congress where over 3,000 delegates rubber-stamped uncontested laws and clapped in near unison, a bombshell dropped this morning: Bo Xilai, the ambitious and controversial politician from the western megacity of Chongqing was sacked from his job as that citys Communist Party secretary.

Bo, 62, was a Communist Party heavyweight, a member of the Politburo, a so-called princeling son of one of the revolutionary leaders and a media darling who openly campaigned for a seat on powerful nine-person Standing Committee (essentially the nine people who makes all the decisions in China).

Bo was known as a party conservative (in China that would be the far left) who recently tried to repopularize Cultural Revolution-era propaganda songs in Chongqing and gained national prominence through his tough anti-gang campaign. Bo was heavily favored to be promoted this fall.

A former commerce minister, the outspoken Bo usually rode into Beijing followed by the adoration of cameras. This year the cameras were still there, but he was burdened by the specter of scandal.

Just last month his former lieutenant, Chinas hero copWang Lijun, was caught apparently trying to defect to the United States. Wang had helped Bo root out organized crime in Chongqing. Wang was suddenly stripped of his law enforcement duties earlier this year and sidelined to a desk job