China’s most sensational trial in decades has ended with disgraced politician Bo Xilai hinting at a love triangle involving his wife and former right hand man - both key witnesses against him – as he made last-ditch efforts to redeem his reputation.

Disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai told a court his wife stole government funds without his involvement and revealed how the couple became estranged after he had been unfaithful, offering a glimpse in his politically charged trial of the unraveling of one of China’s elite families.

Greed and betrayal in one of China’s elite families went on display today when prosecutors in the corruption trial of disgraced politician Bo Xilai released testimony from his wife on a businessman’s gifts to the family, including a French villa and plane tickets to three continents.

Ousted politician Bo Xilai recanted a confession of bribery when prosecutors alleged he used his wife and son to help collect more than €2.9m in illicit funds as he stood trial in China’s biggest political scandal in decades.

The lawyer for the family of a British businessman murdered by the wife of a Chinese politician said some progress has been made in efforts to seek compensation.

Deposed politician Bo Xilai will go on trial on charges of corruption and abuse of power within weeks, wrapping up a festering scandal that China’s new leaders want disposed of as they cement their authority.

Emerging markets are growing faster than analysts think, though Europe and US may taper their impact, writes Jim O’Neill

A five-year-old sex tape of an 18-year-old woman allegedly hired by developers to sleep with a city official is causing yet another scandal for China’s ruling Communists in the city formerly led by fallen politician Bo Xilai.

A five-year-old sex tape of an 18-year-old woman allegedly hired by developers to sleep with a city official is causing yet another scandal for China’s ruling Communists in the city formerly led by fallen politician Bo Xilai.

Xi Jinping became China’s new leader today, assuming the top posts in the Communist Party and the powerful military in a political transition unbowed by scandals, a slower economy and public demands for reforms.

Asset disclosure for Chinese officials is likely to be slowly phased in over time, a senior Communist Party leader said as the government grapples with the fraught task of rooting out corruption.

It was an ominous start for the 2,268 Chinese delegates at a pivotal congress to initiate a power handover to new leaders.

China’s ruling communists have opened a pivotal congress to initiate a power handover to new leaders with a broad promise of cleaner government.

China’s President Hu Jintao called today for sterner measures against official corruption while urging the Communist Party to maintain firm political control as he prepares to hand over power after a decade in office.

China’s communists called the scandal surrounding disgraced politician Bo Xilai a “profound lesson” for the ruling party, as delegates gathered in Beijing on the eve of a key leadership congress.

Activists, academics and dissidents are questioning China’s purge of Bo Xilai, demanding the rule of law be followed allowing the disgraced leader to defend himself.

Disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party and will face corruption and other criminal charges.

A top Chinese government forensic scientist has questioned the official cause of death of murdered British businessman Neil Heywood.

China has nearly mopped up a murder scandal that has roiled the country for months, but the last step — dealing with a fallen political star — will be the most delicate of all.

The ex-police chief at the centre of a seamy political scandal will be sentenced on Monday as Chinese leaders move to dispatch with a messy affair that has upset a tricky transition of power.

The trial of an ex-police chief at the centre of a divisive political scandal in China has ended, bringing the country's leadership closer to resolving a case that exposed infighting and hit plans for a transfer of power to new leaders.

The trial for an ex-police chief at the centre of China’s worst political scandal in decades opened with an unexpected closed-door hearing yesterday, a day earlier than publicly announced.

The ex-police chief at the centre of China's worst political scandal in decades has gone on trial in a closed hearing involving state secrets.

A former police chief linked to a disgraced leader at the centre of China’s biggest political scandal in decades will stand trial on Tuesday on charges that include defection and bribery.

Where is China’s president-in-waiting, Xi Jinping?

China sentenced the wife of fallen Politburo member Bo Xilai to death yesterday but suspended her execution — setting the stage for a possible final purge of Bo himself in a scandal that has shaken Beijing ahead of a leadership transition.

The wife of a fallen Chinese politician was given a suspended death sentence today after confessing to killing British businessman Neil Heywood in a case that rocked the country’s political leadership.

Chinese leaders may spare a politician’s wife the death penalty for killing British businessman Neil Heywood, fearing it might incite public sympathy, analysts said today.

A Chinese court will deliver a verdict on Monday in the trial of ousted politician Bo Xilai’s wife, accused of killing a British businessman.

The wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai lured a British businessman to a hotel in Chongqing, where she got him drunk and fed him poison, one of China’s highest-profile murder trials in years heard.

The wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai lured a British businessman to a hotel in the south-western mega-city of Chongqing, where she got him drunk and fed him poison, according to testimony today in one of China’s highest-profile murder trials in years.

The murder trial of the wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai will start next Thursday, lawyers have said.

Chinese prosecutors are charging the wife of former Chinese politician Bo Xilai and a family aide with the murder of a British businessman.

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi is set to take legal action after claims she worked as $1 million-a-night prostitute for ruling members of the Chinese Communist Party

China is beset by a moral crisis, widespread corruption, and lawlessness, leading millions of Chinese to seek solace in Buddhism, Tibet’s exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, said.

The wife of a senior Communist Party official in China is being held over the murder of a British businessman, state media has reported.

Users of two popular microblog services in China can once again make comments after a three-day ban that prompted an outcry online.

China has closed down more than a dozen websites, penalising two popular social media sites and detaining six people for circulating rumours of a coup which rattled Beijing in the midst of its worst high-level political crisis in years.

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has warned the ruinous turmoil that engulfed the country in the past could re-emerge unless it tackles political reforms.

European Union trade chief Peter Mandelson has urged China to open its markets to EU goods and quell piracy and counterfeiting.

EU government officials from all 25 member states met today to consider a deal with China to unblock some 77 million garments held up at European borders after Chinese textile imports broke through 2005 quota limits.

EU states meet today to approve a deal with China to unblock some 77 million garments held up at European borders after Chinese textile imports broke through 2005 quota limits.

EUROPEAN Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said on Sunday he hoped to strike a deal with Beijing before the end of the day to unblock millions of Chinese garments piled up in EU ports because they exceed import quotas.

Top trade negotiators for the European Union and China struggled to resolve a bitter trade dispute today with no hint of a solution in sight.