In court, Bo Xilai claims he is the victim of a setup.
The 64-year-old former head of the Communist Party in the city of Chongqing is accused of receiving bribes worth nearly 27 million yuan ($4,41 million), as well as committing active corruption and abuse of power. He is almost certain to be convicted.
By John Ruwitch
JINAN, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Former Chinese party leader Bo Xilai fiercely defended himself on Thursday as a defendant in China's most political trial in decades, saying he was framed in one of the corruption charges against him, which he admitted against his will during questioning.
The 64-year-old former head of the Communist Party in the city of Chongqing is accused of receiving bribes worth nearly 27 million yuan ($4,41 million), as well as committing active corruption and abuse of power. He is almost certain to be convicted.
What no one expected was that, in his first public statements since being removed from office in early 2012, he would appear so defiant. But observers say he may have made a deal with the authorities in order to demonstrate that he was receiving a fair trial, in exchange for a pre-arranged sentence.
"He's clearly following this trial," said Nicholas Bequelin, a researcher at the New York-based organization Human Rights Watch. "The outcome has already been decided. There's probably already an agreement between Bo and the (Communist) Party regarding the result."
Bo belonged to a more left-leaning wing of the party, which opposes the capitalist bias adopted by the Chinese leadership in recent decades. His downfall exposed divisions within the communist regime and in Chinese society itself.
The defendant was once a rising star in the Communist Party and a candidate for a high-ranking position. His trial in the eastern city of Jinan marks the culmination of the biggest political scandal in the country since the overthrow of the Gang of Four at the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976.
In a very serious tone, Bo -- clean-shaven, wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and with his hair still apparently dyed black -- stood up, without handcuffs, and kept his hands crossed in front of him, escorted by two police officers, as shown in images from state TV.
The foreign press was not allowed to attend the trial, and his statements were broadcast on the court's official microblog, suggesting they may have been heavily edited. Even so, the transcript provided by the court marks an unprecedented degree of openness in a Chinese trial.
"Regarding the matter of Tang Xiaolin giving me money three times, I once admitted this against my will during the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's investigation against me," Bo said, referring to the party's main disciplinary body.
"I am willing to face the legal responsibilities, but at the time I was unaware of the circumstances of these matters: my mind was blank."
Highlighting Bo's popular support, some supporters protested in front of the courthouse for the second day in a row to denounce what they claim is political persecution. The police dispersed them.
Bo also embezzled 5 million yuan from a government project in the city of Dalian, where he served as mayor, according to the court.
The abuse of power charge against Bo relates to a murder case involving his wife, Gu Kailai, who was convicted of the 2011 murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, a business partner and family friend. Bo allegedly attempted to cover up the case.
His conviction is virtually inevitable, since the prosecutors and courts are under the control of the Communist Party. Bo's trial is expected to last two days, and the verdict is expected in early September, according to state television CCTV.