Chongqing leadership reshuffle shadow of Wang Lijun incident: senior official

(Ecns.cn)—The appointment of a new Party chief of Chongqing on Thursday was "a serious political consequence of the Wang Lijun incident," Li Yuanchao, head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, was quoted by Chongqing Daily.

According to the reshuffle, Bo Xilai will no longer serve as secretary, standing committee member or member of the CPC Chongqing municipal committee. Replacing Bo is Zhang Dejiang, vice-premier of the State Council.

Li said the CPC Central Committee made the decision after discreet consideration of current circumstances and the overall situation. Wang's case is an extremely serious matter and has cast a grave shadow, the senior official added.

Wang entered the U.S. general consulate in Chengdu on Feb. 6 and left after staying there for one day, according to the office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman on Feb. 9. "This is a matter concerning state security, and it is natural for the Ministry of State Security to conduct an investigation after Wang left [the consulate]," said Huang Qifan, Chongqing mayor, in an interview on March 5 with Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television.

Chongqing Television channel broke the news of the Party chief appointment on the same day and resumed its commercial broadcasting 30 minutes later, one year after it was oriented as a "red channel."