SPC uses novel rhetoric in new corruption allegations

BEIJING - Authorities' new accusation against disgraced former officials Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai -- that they conducted "non-organizational political activities" -- has left analysts guessing at the precise meaning of the novel piece of rhetoric.

The Supreme People's Court (SPC) used the phrase without any clarification in its report on work in 2014 released on Wednesday.

Prof. Zhang Xixian of the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee said he had never encountered it in his studies.

Some analysts said the rhetoric meant rogue political conduct circumventing the supervision of Party organizations.

"Non-organizational political activities" refers to political activities that "are illegal and not in line with organizational procedures and requirements", Zhuang Deshui, a researcher with the clean government research at Peking University, was quoted by the Beijing Youth Daily as saying.

According to CPC regulations, members found guilty of "non-organizational activities" will face a serious warning, be removed from their Party posts, or even be expelled from the Party.

Zhou Yongkang, who was in charge of the justice mechanism as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, was expelled from the CPC in December and then handed over to justice departments for suspected criminal activities. Bo, former secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, was jailed for life in 2013 for bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.

The SPC said in its report on work in 2014 that it had made efforts to repair the harm caused by Zhou.