Fallen star’s impact shakes Chinese leaders

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.

Bo Xilai’s former right-hand man and police chief, Wang Lijun, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for making a thwarted defection bid, and for helping Bo’s wife cover up the murder of a British businessman. Bo’s wife and other figures in the scandal were sentenced previously, and Beijing is keen to settle the fate of Bo himself before a change in leadership expected next month.

Ever since Wang’s thwarted defection bid at a US consulate in February made the scandal public, the question of what to do about Bo, then a powerful party boss in Chongqing, has bedeviled China’s leaders. It strained relations among communist power brokers just as they were cutting deals to transfer of power to younger leaders; deciding whether to prosecute him or merely purge him from the party became part of the bargaining.

The official account of the trial implied that Bo ignored his wife’s involvement in the murder after Wang told him about it. Though it referred to Bo by his position rather than his name, the account marked the first time in weeks of trials that Bo was mentioned in any way.

In sentencing Wang, the court emphasised his help in the murder investigation against Bo’s wife, who was convicted last month.

Debating Bo’s fate is one of the issues that has delayed announcement of a National Party Congress, which will install the new generation of leaders. With verdicts in for Wang and Bo’s wife out of the way, leaders are expected to announce dates for the congress and a preparatory meeting to deal with Bo.