Ambitious Chinese Communist Party leadership contender Bo Xilai has been sacked from his post as head of the city of Chongqing in a dramatic move that exposes growing ideological divisions just as a new generation readies to take power.
His abrupt downfall, announced today by the official Xinhua news agency, threatens to kindle tension between his supporters, who favour a more traditional, state-dominated version of socialism, and liberal critics, who saw him as a dangerous opportunist.
Mr Bo was removed as party boss of Chongqing, a sprawling urban region in the southwest that he turned into a bastion of Communist revolutionary-inspired "red" culture and egalitarian growth, a day after being rebuked by Premier Wen Jiabao in a news conference broadcast across the country.
The telegenic Mr Bo had been a strong contender for top leadership, but his career prospects came under intense speculation after Vice Mayor Wang Lijun, his long-time police chief, went to ground in February in the US consulate in nearby Chengdu until he was coaxed out and placed under investigation.
In a separate statement, Xinhua said Mr Wang had also been removed from his post. It gave no other details.
Xinhua said Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang will replace Mr Bo.
Reuters