China indicts former senior political advisor, provincial legislator

BEIJING - Chinese prosecutors have filed indictments against Sun Huaishan, a former senior political advisor, and Li Wenke, a former senior legislator in Northeast China's Liaoning, for graft-related charges in two separate cases.

According to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) Friday, Sun was accused of taking bribes, and Li was accused of both taking and offering bribes.

Sun's case has been filed by the Hulun Buir city procuratorate in Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and the indictment against Li will be conducted by the procuratorate of Tonghua, Jilin province.

Sun was formerly a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee and head of the Committee for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese of the CPPCC National Committee.

Li was formerly deputy director of the Standing Committee of Liaoning Provincial People's Congress.

Both men were accused of taking advantage of their power to seek benefits for others and accepting vast sums of money or gifts, acts that constitute taking bribes, according to the SPP.

Moreover, Li was accused of offering money or gifts to state officials to seek illegal benefits.

The SPP statement said prosecutors in the two cases had informed the defendants of their litigation rights, interrogated them and listened to their lawyers' opinions. The rights of the defendants have been properly protected.