updated gossip

Alright, the latest version of the Wang Lijun story, US officials->foreign journo community

Wang did ask for asylum, and was carrying the Neil Heywood file.  He claimed he'd been investigating it and was shut down by Bo and now feared for his life, but they got the strong impression this was a cover, and that what had happened was that he'd been investigated for corruption, was worried Bo was deserting him, and grabbed the biggest piece of dirt he had.  So Heywood wasn't the motivator, but there was, at the least, something dirty about his death.  They denied him asylum, since it didn't concern US security interests (and also, one assumes, because it would cause a massive rupture), but did call the UK embassy directly to let them know.  

 

Comments

[ajay]

Blimey if true. One wonders why he didn't take it to the British embassy instead...

[bert]

The Brits aren't a credible protector. Offer to take a minority stake in Royal Mail and the Brits will give you their granny, along with anything else you ask for.
Seems the only serious buyers for what Wang was selling were Bo's enemies in Beijing. And in that transaction the Americans acted as intermediaries, evidently getting what they wanted out of him without needing to take him in.

Very much enjoying the rumour posts, both here and elsewhere. This Bo business feels a bit like the Grand National. In this one case, my pitiful efforts to piece together a theory out of near all-encompassing ignorance stand alongside the efforts of people who actually know China and have spent serious time thinking about it. Nobody knows shit for sure.