Beijing trial begins years after man's lover slain in B.C.

Amanda Zhao is seen in this undated file image.

A long-awaited trial in the slaying of a Chinese exchange student got underway in Beijing Tuesday, nearly nine years after her former boyfriend fled Canadian soil before he could be charged.

The trial of Jia-ming Li began Tuesday, years after he was charged in the death of Amanda Zhao, the woman he once lived with and whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase in October 2002.

While the media was not allowed to observe the proceedings on the first day of Li's trial, CTV's Beijing Bureau Chief Ben O'Hara-Byrne said the session was reportedly filled with many outbursts.

"We were told that there were blow-ups in the courtroom, a lot of yelling between the two families -- especially Li's family over the evidence that was being produced, they felt it was unfair," O'Hara-Byrne told CTV News Channel from Beijing on Tuesday.

"Amanda Zhao's family left yelling about how angry Li's family had been inside. So really this was not a civil proceeding."

An official with the Canadian embassy who was allowed into the courtroom did not comment.

Outside court, Li's mother called the trial a travesty.

"My son is being treated unfairly," she said. "All the evidence showed he is innocent."

Li's trial will continue Wednesday and could wrap up the same day.

O'Hara-Byrne said Li could face anywhere from a 10-year sentence to life in prison if he is convicted of killing Zhao.

Zhao had been missing from her Burnaby, B.C. apartment for 11 days before her body was found. Police said she had been strangled.

Li fled Canada just three days after Zhao was found dead. The following May the RCMP charged him with second-degree murder.

The case remained in limbo for years, in part because there is no extradition treaty between China and Canada. In the meantime, Li lived with his parents in China before being arrested in 2009.

Eventually, a deal was struck whereby Li would not face the death penalty if he was tried and convicted in China. The RCMP handed over its evidence to Chinese police and the accused was finally put on trial Tuesday.

With files from The Canadian Press