Bo Xilai denies charges of bribery(2)

Photo taken on Aug 21, 2013 shows the Jinan Intermediate People's Court, in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Prosecutors and defense lawyers questioned and cross-examined him, as well as witness Xu Ming, who gave testimony in court.

During the seven-hour session, prosecutors presented documentary evidence and witness testimony, together with video and audio materials of the examination of witnesses.

The court approved all applications by Bo to express his views, said court spokesman Liu Yanjie, adding that Bo was "emotionally stable" and "physically healthy" during the trial.

Wang Minyuan, a criminal procedure law professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the defendant's legal right of pleading was guaranteed during the hearing, based on the information provided on the court's micro blog.

"He had the right to inquire and argue in court, as well as his lawyers. The court proceeding went on in a legitimate and smooth way, and I hope that can be carried on until the judges reach a verdict," he said.

Lin Zhe, a professor at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, said the openness of Thursday's trial has illustrated the determination of the central government to crack down on corruption and abuse of power.

She said it is unusual in China to put a high-ranking official on trial in such an open way.

"It has been open throughout the whole process of the trial, including announcing the trial in advance on the Internet, accepting the public sign-up for the hearing, and the broadcasting of the trial online," she said.

She said the open trial could deter officials from committing similar job-related crimes. "They will know what awaits them if they do the same thing."

In 2012, a total of 4,698 officials of county-level or above were punished by the Party's top discipline watchdog, and 961 officials at county level or above have been transferred to judicial organs, according to the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The Party's new leadership has further prioritized the battle against graft since it stepped into power in November.

Party chief Xi Jinping has pledged to restrict power "in a cage of regulations" and vowed to crack down on both "tigers" and "flies", which refer to high- and low-ranking officials.

At least eight ministerial-level officials have been exposed for corruption since November, including Li Chuncheng, deputy governor of Sichuan, and Liu Tienan, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission.

The trial continues on Friday.