Combative Bo Xilai denies taking bribes, challenges the Communist Party line Bo Xilai comes out swinging A combative Bo Xilai has surprised everyone with a defiant appearance in China's ""trial of the century"" where he denied the charges against him, reports China correspondent Philip Wen. Ousted politician Bo Xilai has denied charges against him and laughed off testimony from his wife, Gu Kailai, in a combative performance that has turned China's ""trial of the century"" on its head. Defying expectations that the trial would be a limp formality, focused on discrediting the former rising star of Chinese politics, Mr Bo has decided to go down swinging, even if it does not alter a likely guilty verdict. The former Chongqing party secretary said he was coaxed into a confession by investigators preying on his moment of ""weakness"" and that he would now fight to clear his name in court. 'Trial of the century': Bo Xilai in court on Thursday, flanked by two policemen. "It was written under circumstances when I was suffering some improper pressure," he said. I thought the direction my case was heading toward was irreversible. His stirring fightback also smashes any theories that Mr Bo would co-operate with authorities in exchange for a lighter sentence or guarantees for the safety of his family, including his son, Bo Guagua. Gu, herself jailed for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, said in recorded and written testimony that the couple shared a large safe in which Mr Bo would deposit large amounts of money, including tens of thousands of US dollars, which she would then collect and mostly spend overseas. ""I find her testimony very comical, extremely laughable,"" Mr Bo said in court in Jinan on Thursday. Prosecutors said Mr Bo received 21.8 million yuan ($3.95million) in bribes from billionaire entrepreneur and close friend Xu Ming, and Tang Xiaolin, a businessman from Dalian, who testified via video link. But Mr Bo said he had not accepted any bribes and that a previous confession to the Communist Party's Central Discipline Inspection Committee was made against his will. ""Back then I was totally unaware of the details, my mind was blank,"" Mr Bo said, according to a transcript provided by Jinan People's Intermediate Court, in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong. In a spectacular exchange, Mr Bo turned prosecutor and pummelled Xu Ming with a relentless series of questions. Mr Xu said he had contributed $US3.23 million toward Gu Kailai's acquisition of a villa in France. He also said he paid for a trip to Africa for Bo Guagua, and paid for his credit card expenses of 300,000 yuan ($54,275), at a time when the younger Bo would have been just 13. But backed into a corner, Mr Xu had to repeatedly concede Mr Bo may not have been aware of his generosity, even though it was intended to win his favour to help his business interests. Did you say anything to me privately to indicate that if I helped you with your projects you would reward me? Mr Bo asked. "No," Mr Xu replied. Did you say anything to me about your support of Bo Guagua and that you reimbursed his flights, credit card and bought him an electric bike? Did you tell me about Africa? Did you say you would pay for them? Have you ever told me about the [French] property? Have I ever mentioned it to you? The answer on each count was "no," prompting Mr Bo to end with a flourish his lawyer wife might have been proud of. "Thank you for seeking truth from the facts," he said. Mr Bo similarly tore another key witness Tang Xiaolin apart by saying his testimony was "blasphemous" and intended just to get a lighter sentence for himself. ""He is like a mad dog biting all over the place,"" Mr Bo said. ""The evidence and witnesses that the prosecutors produced are all peripheral, and have little to do with the case and can't prove I'm guilty."" In the first images of Mr Bo since he vanished from public view after being sacked as Chongqing party secretary in March last year, he appeared considerably thinner, but was made to look even smaller and more feeble by the two hulking policemen who stood by his side in court. He looked tired but his face retained a hint of his trademark smirk. Authorities have restricted access to the ""open trial"" to just 110 carefully vetted observers - including five members of Mr Bo's family. The court's official microblog has been providing an account of proceedings to the public. Prosecutors who laid out charges of bribery, abuse of power and corruption against Mr Bo also named his son as a potential recipient of bribes. Mr Bo is the most senior politician in years to be expelled from the Communist Party, after revelations that his wife had murdered Heywood. Prosecutors said the abuse of power charge related to the cover-up of his wife's crime. The scandal burst into view when Mr Bo's police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to a US consulate armed with information on Heywood's murder in February last year. Earlier Thursday, dozens of Bo Xilai supporters congregated in protest outside the courthouse in Jinan. Mr Bo entered the courthouse under police escort, court officials said, with the area immediately surrounding the court cordoned off by red and yellow barriers and police tape. One group of supporters unfurled a banner and chanted slogans praising Bo Xilai before being swiftly removed by police. One man, who gave his name as Shao, held up a portrait of Chairman Mao, the political leader whom Mr Bo often evoked through his populist policies and singing of revolutionary red songs. But the public demonstrations also drew angry rebuttals from other onlookers, who said Mr Bo was a corrupt tyrant who stole from Chongqing people.