IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Liaoning

Ex-official pleads guilty to graft

A former provincial-level official pleaded guilty on Thursday in Beijing No 3 Intermediate People's Court to accepting bribes and interfering in an election. Liu Qiang, 54, former vice-governor of Liaoning province, was accused of accepting more than 10.6 million yuan ($1.5 million) in bribes in exchange for benefits to individuals and enterprises between 2000 and 2017, prosecutors said during the trial. To obtain the position of vice-governor, Liu interfered with an election by offering bribes in cash and property and using his influence to get other officials to vote for him between 2011 and January 2013, according to the court. A verdict will be announced at a later date.