Former publicity official pleads guilty to taking bribe

Former head of the Cyberspace Administration of China pleaded guilty to accepting bribes of more than 32 million yuan ($4.6 million), a court in Zhejiang province said.

Lu Wei, also the former deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stood trial at the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court on Friday.

Prosecutors said during the trial that Lu made use of his series of work positions between July 2002 and late last year, such as the head of Cyberspace Administration of China, the deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee as well as deputy head of Xinhua News Agency and vice-mayor of Beijing, to provide illegal assistance to other departments and individuals in return for benefits.

The total amount of bribes that Lu accepted in this period was more than 32 million yuan, the prosecutors added.

More than 60 people attended the public hearing, including journalists and deputies to the National People's Congress.

The court said the ruling would be announced at a later date.