中国共产党正式将其最有权势的领导人之一薄熙来清除出最高领导层，并以涉嫌谋杀英国商人尼尔•海伍德(Neil Heywood)为由逮捕了他的妻子。

　　In a one-line statement, state media announced yesterday that Mr Bo had been suspended from the 25-member politburo, the second-highest decision-making body in China, because of “suspected serious violations of discipline”.

　　中国官方媒体昨日发表全文仅一句话的声明，称鉴于薄熙来“涉嫌严重违纪”，中共中央已停止其担任的中央政治局委员职务。有25名委员的中共中央政治局是中国次高级别的决策机构。

　　In what amounted to a formal government announcement, state media also said Mr Bo’s wife, Gu Kailai, and a Bo family servant had been “transferred to judicial authorities” on suspicion of having murdered Mr Heywood, who was found dead in a hotel room in Chongqing on November 15.

　　中国官方媒体还授权发布官方正式通告，称薄熙来的妻子谷开来及薄家一名勤务人员因涉嫌谋杀海伍德，“已经移送司法机关”。海伍德去年11月15日在重庆一家酒店的客房被发现死亡。

　　The ouster of Mr Bo, the powerful “princeling” son of a revolutionary hero, and the arrest of his wife, herself the daughter of a top Communist general, have sent shockwaves through the Chinese political establishment. Coming just months before a once-in-a-decade leadership handover, Mr Bo’s spectacular downfall constitutes the biggest political crisis facing the ruling party since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

　　权势极大的“太子党”（即革命英雄之子）薄熙来政治生命告终，其妻（她本人也是中共高级将领之女）被捕，在中国政治体制内掀起了冲击波。距离十年一度的中共领导人换届只有几个月之际，薄熙来的轰然倒台令执政党遭遇自1989年天安门事件以来最大的一场政治危机。

　　“Bo Xilai’s conduct has seriously violated the party’s disciplinary rules, damaging the affairs of the party and the country, and badly harming the image of the party and country,” the People’s Daily, the party’s flagship paper, said in an editorial released by the Xinhua news agency. “There are no citizens who are privileged before the law, and the party does not allow privileged members who stand above the law.”

　　“薄熙来的行为严重违反了党的纪律，给党和国家的事业带来了损失，对党和国家的形象带来很大损害，”新华社播发中共机关报《人民日报》评论员文章表示。“法律面前没有特殊公民，党内不允许有凌驾法律之上的特殊党员，任何人都不能干扰法律的实施，任何犯了法的人都不能逍遥法外。”

　　Yesterday’s state media reports said Chinese police had found evidence that Mr Heywood was murdered and that Ms Gu and the family servant, Zhang Xiaojun, were “highly suspected” of the crime. At the time of Mr Heywood’s death, police in Chongqing informed UK consular officials that he had died from “excessive alcohol consumption”. His body was cremated.

　　中国官方媒体昨日报道称，中国警方发现了海伍德死于他杀的证据，谷开来和薄家勤务人员张晓军“有重大作案嫌疑”。海伍德被发现死亡后，重庆公安局通知英国领事人员，他死于“酒精摄入过量”。海伍德的尸体已火化。

　　Adding to the intrigue surrounding his death, Mr Heywood’s family members in the UK were told at the time that he had died of a heart attack and no further probe was carried out. His mother Ann, who lives in London, said yesterday she was “shocked” by the news that she had just heard and was unable to talk.

　　海伍德死亡当时，他在英国的家人被告知，他死于心脏病发作，此后就没有进行进一步调查，这令他的死亡更加扑朔迷离。居住在伦敦的海伍德之母安(Ann)昨日表示，刚刚听到的消息令她“震惊”到说不出话来。

　　Mr Heywood was described as a close associate and “consigliere” to the Bo family.

　　海伍德曾被形容为薄家的亲密伙伴和“顾问”。

　　Mr Bo was party chief of Chongqing until last month, when he was removed from the position. According to the state media report, police found that Ms Gu and Mr Heywood had a “conflict over economic interests”.

　　薄熙来在上个月遭免职之前担任重庆市委书记。中国官方媒体报道称，警方发现谷开来和海伍德“因经济利益问题产生矛盾并不断激化”。

　　Mr Bo has been suspended from the party’s Central Committee, a group of about 200 officials from which the politburo is selected, according to the announcement.

　　通告中称，薄熙来已被免去中国共产党中央委员职务。中共中央委员会有200多名成员，政治局委员就是从其中产生的。

　　Mr Bo’s downfall was set in motion by Wang Lijun, a former political ally. The ex-Chongqing police chief sought refuge in a US consulate in early February, claiming he feared for his life after falling out with Mr Bo. Mr Wang requested asylum in the US and provided detailed evidence that Mr Heywood had been poisoned on the orders of Ms Gu.

　　薄熙来的倒台最初是由他的前政治盟友王立军引发的。重庆市前公安局长王立军今年2月初在美国领事馆寻求庇护，声称他在与薄熙来闹翻后担心自己的人身安全。王立军请求前往美国避难，并提供了海伍德系由谷开来下令毒杀的详细证据。

　　After spending more than 24 hours in the consulate, Mr Wang left the compound and was taken into custody by officials of China’s state security ministry, who took him to Beijing for questioning. Mr Wang’s fate is not clear. Some Chinese officials believe he will probably be prosecuted for treason for attempting to defect, while others predict he will be treated leniently for helping bring down a man who had many enemies among the elite.

　　在美国领事馆逗留超过24小时之后，王立军离开领事馆，被中国国家安全部官员控制并带到北京进行讯问。王立军的命运尚不明朗。一些中国官员认为他很可能因为试图叛逃而被提起公诉，罪名是叛国。但另一些人则预测，王立军将因为扳倒一个在精英阶层中树敌很多的人物而受到宽待。

　　Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We welcome the fact the Chinese are investigating this case.”

　　英国外交部(FCO)表示：“我们欢迎中方对这起案件展开调查。”

　　Additional reporting by Sally Gainsbury in London

　　萨莉•盖恩斯伯里(Sally Gainsbury)伦敦补充报道 译者:何黎