China's Bo Xilai Goes On Trial On Thursday

Disgraced senior Chinese politician Bo Xilai will stand trial later this week for bribery, corruption and abuse of power, it has been announced.

Bo, once one of the country's most powerful leaders, will face the charges on Thursday at Jinan Intermediate People's Court in the eastern province of Shandong, Xinhua news agency said.

"The open trial will start at 8:30 am (0030 GMT) on August 22 at its 5th courtroom," Xinhua said.

Bo's wife Gu Kailai has been jailed for the 2011 murder of British businessman Neil Heywood in Chongqing, where Bo was Communist Party chief.

The scandal emerged last year, ahead of a once-a-decade leadership transition in which Bo had been considered a candidate for the Politburo Standing Committee, China's most powerful body.

But his glittering career came crashing down amid the allegations his wife - later convicted of murder - was involved in Mr Heywood's death and Bo had sought to block the police investigation.

The case has also seen Bo's police chief Wang Lijun jailed for 15 years.

Bo, who has been in custody since his dramatic downfall, was indicted on the charges last month.

It is almost certain 64-year-old Bo, a "princeling" son of a late vice premier, will be convicted as China's prosecutors and judges are controlled by the ruling Communist Party.

President Xi Jinping came to power in March vowing rid the country of corrupt officials - from the high-ranking "tigers" to low-level "flies".

How Bo's case is handled will be a test of Mr Xi's battle against corruption and also show his authority over the party.

During Gu's trial, she admitted to poisoning Mr Heywood, claiming that she had acted after he threatened her son, Bo Guagua, when a business deal turned sour.

Before he was found dead in a Chongqing hotel room in November 2011, Mr Heywood had been a long-time friend of Bo and Gu and helped their son settle into Britain.

Last week, Mr Heywood's Chinese wife and British mother announced they were seeking compensation for his death.