| Publication |
2012.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Money, sex, murder, conspiracy: the Bo Xilai affair has all the makings of a political thriller. But there is nothing fictional about the reality show currently unfolding before the eyes of 1.3 billion people in China. The significance of this drama for China's future should not be underestimated. International media coverage ofthe affair has missed a crucial point: scandalous as it may be, Bo's downfall may have opened a window of opportunity for reform-minded Chinese leaders to build consensus for launching serious political reforms. Bo himself is facing accusations of corruption, at least for now, but the real issue goes beyond the need to crack down on corruption among party officials, which is so widespread that the very foundation of the Communist Party's rule is threatened.
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