In the United States, Bo Xilai’s “trial of the century” was reported as a spicy cocktail of sex, power and violence. The real story is about rapid economic development, generational change in politics, and the progress of the rule of law in China.

The recent five-day trial of Bo Xilai has impressed the public for its fairness and transparency, Pro.Tong Zhiwei calls for China to take the opportunity to institutionalize the practices of public trial of cases and sublimate them into a rule governing the hearing of all cases by courts at all levels.

Many China watchers have remarked with hope about the degree of transparency in Bo Xilai’s trial under China's relatively new leadership. In this article, however, Steven Hill calls for greater governance and rule of law.

China's new leadership has been hard-pressed to show a diligent crackdown on corruption and graft, and with the trial of former Communist Party chief of Chongqing Bo Xilai coming to an end many question whether this scandal will lead to reforms and address the social divisions exposed by his downfall.

With the Bo Xilai trial commencing this week, Chen Qun writes that corruption has become the primary evil that the government must tackle, as it has stood in the way of reform and opening-up and has become a mortal malady afflicting the popularity of the government and the Party.

The current prosecution of Bo Xilai clearly shows that the judicial system in China is moving out of political intervention and toward greater independence, more considerations to the person and greater fairness, writes Qin Xiaoying.

After a year of delay, the trial of Bo Xilai, the former Communist Party secretary of Chongqing municipality, is finally about to begin. Ma Jian describes his real offense is that he challenged the Chinese Communist Party’s way of doing things.

Deepening political reform and promoting democracy and rule of law in real earnest is precisely what China needs right now if we want our country to enjoy lasting social stability and our people to reap the benefit of democracy, writes Yu Keping.

With the end of the National People’s Congress, Dan Steinbock writes that China should expect economic and financial reforms, international recalibration, and gradual political transition. Xi jinping and Li Keqiang must also balance regional interests to fulfill the “Chinese Dream.”