Bo Xilai back in court after fiery denials

The trial of disgraced politician Bo Xilai has resumed a day after he fiercely denied charges of bribery.

Friday's session is expected to deal with the remaining two charges of embezzlement of government funds and abuse of office.

His defence at the proceedings on Thursday aimed at concluding China's biggest scandal in decades appeared to be a last-ditch effort to repair his carefully cultivated reputation as a man of the people.

Bo is accused of corruption and involvement in an attempted cover-up of his wife's murder of a British businessman, Neil Heywood.

Prosecutors on Thursday ended months of suspense about the details of his charges, rolling out accusations that featured a villa in France, a hot-air balloon project and a football club.

During his defence, Bo thanked the judge for letting him speak, asserted that he was pressured into making a confession and was selectively contrite.

"I'm not a perfect man, and not a strong-willed person, I'm willing to take responsibility for that," Bo said.

"But as to the basic facts of whether I am guilty or innocent, I must say my piece."

The opening day of the trial on Thursday marked the first time he was seen in public in 18 months, since shortly after the scandal emerged.

Prosecutors said Bo used his wife, Gu Kailai, and his son, Bo Guagua, as intermediaries in accepting $3.5m in the northeast city of Dalian, where Bo Xilai once held key posts.

They also alleged that Bo instructed an underling to keep quiet an $800,000 payment to the city, according to updates on the microblog website Sina Weibo posted by the Jinan Intermediate People's Court.