Consulate shielded Wang Lijun from pro-Bo cops, but refused him amnesty
(NEWSER) - The biggest political scandal to hit China in a generation started with a visit to a US consulate that sparked a frantic State Department debate, the New York Times finds. When Chongqing chief Bo Xilai's deputy Wang Jilun fled to the US consulate in nearby Chengdu, he was refused asylum. But as Chinese security forces surrounded the building demanding Wang's return, apparently on Bo's orders, he was allowed to remain for 36 hours so that he could be handed over to authorities from Beijing instead of local forces. Insiders say Wang's unsavory reputation, plus the difficulty of spiriting him out of the country, helped the State Department decide against granting him asylum. More»
