Bo Xilai stands trial for bribery, embezzlement

BEIJING - Bo Xilai, former Communist Party of China chief of Chongqing Municipality, stood trial in open court Thursday on charges of taking bribes, embezzlement and abuse of power at the Jinan Intermediate People's Court in East China's Shandong province.

The trial started at 8:43 am. The official microblog account of the court is updating the trial proceedings.

Photo taken on Aug 21, 2013 shows the Jinan Intermediate People's Court, in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Bo, 64, was charged by the Jinan People's Procuratorate. The indictment was delivered to the Jinan Intermediate People's Court on July 25.

Bo took the advantage of his position as a civil servant to seek gains for others, as well as accepted bribes in the form of large amounts of money and property, according to the indictment.

He also embezzled a large amount of public money and abused his power, seriously harming the interests of the state and people, the document said.

The CPC Central Committee announced in April 2012 that it had decided to suspend Bo's membership in the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau and the CPC Central Committee, as he was suspected of being involved in serious discipline violations. The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection also filed the case for investigation.

In September, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee decided to expel Bo from the CPC and his public office. The bureau also decided to transfer Bo's suspected law violations and relevant evidence to judicial organs.

Bo had also served as mayor of Dalian, governor of Liaoning province and minister of commerce.