Beijing (CNN) -- Chinese authorities have ended the waiting game over when political pariah Bo Xilai will face court over corruption charges. But the question remains as to what message his trial and punishment will send to the Chinese nation at a time when the Communist Party is pushing a mantra of anti-corruption and anti-excess. The Bo scandal emerged in March last year, just months before a once-in-a-decade leadership changeover that saw Xi Jinping replace Hu Jintao as president. At the time, the Chongqing chief was considered a high-flyer in the complex hierarchy of Chinese politics. That ended when his police chief fled, seeking asylum with a wild story which later proved to be credible, that Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, and a family aide had murdered British businessman Neil Heywood.
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Bo Xilai to face trial Thursday on charges of corruption, bribery and abuse of power
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Analysts see the trial as a test of China's legal system and Communist Party policies
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Bo was chief of Chongqing when his police chief fled, wife later found guilty of murder
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Politician was stripped of his Party positions and hasn't been seen in public for months
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