Bo Xilai ally charged

The Chinese police chief at the center of the one of the country's biggest political storms in decades has been charged with defection, power abuse and bribe taking, state media reported on Wednesday.

The ex-police chief, Wang Lijun, sought protection in a US consulate in February, reportedly to make a bid for asylum.

Wang Lijun used to head Chongqing's police force, and was the right hand man of the politician Bo Xilai.

Bo was the Communist Party's top official in Chongqing, but has been removed from his position and is now being investigated for corruption. His wife Gu Kai Lai was also handed out a suspended death sentence last month for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.

The scandal, which has been unfolding since February, has exposed serious divisions within the Chinese Communist Party ahead of a once-in-a-decade leadership change, according to analysts.

sej/jr (AFP, AP)