Bo Guagua

Bo Kuangyi (born 17 December 1987), more commonly known as Bo Guagua, is a Chinese businessman and lawyer. The second son of former Chinese politician Bo Xilai and the only child of Gu Kailai, he attracted media attention for his family background and lifestyle, often being described as a "red aristocrat" and "playboy". Since his parents were arrested in 2012, he has lived in exile and kept a low profile.

Bo was born to a prominent political family in Beijing as Kuangyi, meaning "a remarkable talent of many ages", named by his paternal grandfather, Bo Yibo. He goes by Guagua, meaning "watermelon", initially a nickname given by his maternal grandfather, Gu Jingsheng.

Bo's father, Bo Xilai, was a high-profile Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official and Politburo member until his removal from office in 2012. Bo's mother, Gu Kailai, aka Horus L. Kai, was a lawyer who was convicted of homicide in 2012. Both of his parents hail from prominent political families that were persecuted during the Cultural Revolution. His paternal grandfather, Bo Yibo, was a revolutionary leader and one of the Eight Elders of the CCP. His paternal grandmother, Hu Ming, according to him, was "beaten to death" during the Cultural Revolution, while the official history states that she committed suicide. His maternal grandfather, Gu Jingsheng, was a leader of the December 9th Movement and a PLA general. His maternal grandmother, Fan Chengxiu, was a descendant of the renowned Song dynasty prime minister and poet Fan Zhongyan.

Bo has a half brother Brendan Li Wangzhi (李望知), born Bo Wangzhi (薄望知), from his father's first marriage to Li Danyu, an army surgeon and daughter of the Chinese politician Li Xuefeng. Brendan obtained his LLB degree from Peking University Law School, master's degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, and is now a businessman in China.

As a child, Bo was raised by his maternal grandparents in Beijing. His mother, Gu Kailai, spent most of her time in Dalian, where his father, Bo Xilai, served as mayor, only returning to Beijing when Guagua was ill. He attended Beijing Jingshan School from elementary school through Grade 7, before withdrawing to prepare for studies in the UK. The decision to study abroad was partly inspired by his cousin, the daughter of Gu's eldest sister, who was studying in the UK at the time, and, according to Bo Xilai, partly driven by Gu's desire to retaliate for his extramarital affair by taking Guagua away.

In early 1998, during Bo's winter break, Gu took him on a visit to the UK to explore the educational opportunities, along with Dalian businessman Xu Ming and Taiwanese American businessman Larry Cheng, at Xu's expenses. They toured Harrow School and Oxford University. In December 1999, Gu went to the UK again with Bo, settling in Bournemouth, where Bo attended Dorset International College, a now defunct language school recommended by his cousin, while Gu rented an apartment in Keystone House near the coast. They met through the language school a volunteer from the Royal British Legion, Fido Vivien-May, who introduced Bo to Harrow School, but Bo's first application was rejected.

After completing a year at Papplewick School in 2000, Bo applied to Harrow School again and received a conditional offer, requiring him to pass the Common Entrance Examination with specific scores. Bo excelled, achieving six A's and one B in Latin. It was widely reported Bo was the first Chinese citizen at Harrow.

After six years at Harrow, in 2006, Bo went to Balliol College, Oxford, where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He had an active social life and joined the Oxford University Conservative Association. In his second year he ran unsuccessfully for the position of librarian in the Oxford Union, a debating society. In his third year, which would have been the last for the 3-year PPE programme, Bo was "rusticated" (suspended) for one year for academic underperformance. The Daily Telegraph reported that three Chinese diplomats, including the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, went to see Dr. Andrew Graham, the Master of Balliol College, and sought to have the rustication revoked, explaining that Bo's academic probation would be a source of embarrassment to "his father and grandfather" in China (even though his grandfather, Bo Yibo, had died by the time), but their request was denied. Graham denied that any Chinese diplomat had visited him; he admitted that they had visited Bo's tutors, but denied any pressure either.