Bo Xilai is a former Chinese politician who was convicted of bribery and embezzlement. He rose to prominence as Mayor of Dalian and then Governor of Liaoning, and later served as Minister of Commerce from 2004 to 2007. Between 2007 and 2012 he was a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party and Party Secretary of Chongqing. His career ended in 2012 after the Wang Lijun incident, and in 2013 he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Family background
Bo was the son of Bo Yibo, a revolutionary who served as Vice Premier and was purged during the Cultural Revolution. Being a princeling, Bo cultivated a casual and charismatic public image that departed from Chinese political convention. His family was reported to hold substantial assets.
Chongqing and downfall
As Party Secretary of Chongqing, Bo expanded welfare spending, sustained high economic growth, and launched a crackdown on organized crime while promoting red culture. His Chongqing model attracted supporters on the Chinese New Left, but his campaigns and growing personality cult made him controversial. His downfall followed the Wang Lijun incident and the allegations involving his wife in the death of Neil Heywood.