Bo Xilai axed as Wen censures party conservatives

Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai has been removed from his post and will be replaced by Politburo member Zhang Dejiang, Bloomberg reported, quoting the official Xinhua News Agency. The news followed a press conference in which premier Wen Jiabao addressed a scandal that last month brought down Bo’s police chief and political ally, Wang Lijun, the Financial Times reported. In a rare example of open criticism of senior party officials, Wen said the Chongqing government “must seriously reflect on the Wang Lijun incidents and learn lessons from this incident.” Wen emphasized the need for continued reforms to avoid another “historical tragedy” like the Cultural Revolution, also a veiled criticism of Bo, the author of a campaign to revive a “red” spirit in Chongqing. Wen, who will step down later this year, outlined a liberal reform agenda during the three-hour press conference, including gradual steps toward direct elections. “Without successful political structural reform, it is impossible for us to fully institute economic structural reform and the gains we have made in this area may be lost,” he said.