A Chinese court sentenced Wang Lijun to 15 years in prison today, which, when you think about it, is a relatively light sentence for a high-ranking official who attempted to defect to the United States. No doubt Wang provided an enormous amount of information to the government in exchange for leniency, and it’s anyone’s guess how much of his sentence he actually will serve.
With Wang- and Gu Kailai- out of the picture, the only issue left to be resolved is the fate of Bo Xilai, from whom we’ve heard absolutely nothing since his ouster from the Politburo some months ago. Most likely, the Party will wait until after the conclusion of the 18th Party Congress- expected to be held next month- to deal with Bo. Even then, Bo may remain in limbo since Beijing will have its hands full with the political transition, a process fraught with tension in China even in the best of times. The Party may prefer to keep the status quo until the issue recedes from public memory. If there’s one thing China does well, it’s disappearing inconvenient personnel.
If this really is the last we’ve seen of Bo Xilai, I wonder whether another Bo-like figure will emerge in the normally staid world of Chinese politics. What made Bo unusual wasn’t his revival of “red” campaigns, but rather his ability to channel popular energy into promoting his policies and personal ambitions. The vast majority of Chinese officials are mere functionaries, tapped to inhabit a particular role and little else. Bo’s downfall may force other politicians to rein in their ambitions and keep a low profile, at least in the short term. It wouldn’t surprise me, though, if in some years a new type of Chinese populism might emerge.…