Fighting corruption by legal means

Editor's note: The following is a translation of Tuesday's People's Daily editorial on the Bo Xilai trial.

Bo Xilai, former Party secretary of Chongqing and a former member of the political bureau, was openly tried at the Jinan Intermediate People's Court, Shandong province, from Thursday to Monday, on the charges of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.

All court proceedings were conducted in an open and transparent manner and in accordance with China's laws, and both the procedure and substance of the case can stand the test of facts, evidence and the law.

The trial of Bo has once again demonstrated the distinct attitude of the Party and the nation toward fighting corruption and their firm determination to fight corruption in a legal way.

The correct procedure on legal track and by legal spirit has been followed from the very beginning: from depriving him of his Party membership and his removal from official posts, to his transfer to the judicial process and the appointment of the Jinan court to hear his case, to his trial in an open and transparent manner. All these are a reflection of the legal approach of the Party in the fight against corruption and a forcible show of China's judicial progress.

During the five-day trial, media organizations and people from various circles were allowed to hear the court proceedings and there were timely releases of information via the Internet and social media: The court actively explored a new way of judicial openness, as indicated by its appointment of a spokesperson and the use of an official micro blog to reveal timely information to the public and ensure the case was handled in an open and transparent manner. The court also informed Bo of his rights as the defendant and guaranteed his rights were exercised in accordance with the law.

During the trial, Bo and his lawyers fully exercised their right to defense, from making arguments of their own to disputing prosecutors' evidence. In particular, the Jinan intermediate court held a pre-trial session, in which it listened to opinions from both prosecutors and the defending party on a series of issues, from the case's jurisdiction and the challenge system to the manner in which the trial will be conducted, confirming the names of witnesses and the removal of illegal evidence. All these helped overcome contentious points of the court proceedings and disputes.