Ex-official guilty; 2 others expelled

Zeng Zhiquan, former head of Guangdong Provincial United Front Work Department, pleaded guilty on Monday in a court in Fujian province to accepting bribes valued at 140 million yuan ($20.8 million).

According to the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court, from 2004 to 2017, when Zeng served as deputy director and director of the Guangdong Financial Bureau, he took advantage of his position to help companies and individuals secure projects and personal promotions, and accepted huge bribes.

The bribes were paid in cash or property either to himself or to his family members. During the hearing, he pleaded guilty and said he would not appeal.

The court ruling will be released at a later date.

In a separate development, Xing Yun, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Inner Mongolia autonomous region, was expelled from the Party for violating Party discipline and the law.

He was placed under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission.

According to the CCDI, Xing seriously violated the Party's eight frugality rules and lived a luxurious and corrupt life. He abused power to interfere in judicial activities and seriously undermined the Party's system of selecting officers.

According to the National Supervisory Commission, Xing abused power to gain benefits for private enterprises, and accepted huge bribes either paid in cash or property. He was also found to have traded power and money for sex.

His ill-gotten assets were seized and criminal evidence will be transferred to judicial authorities for further action.

Separately, Qian Yin'an, former secretary-general of the Shaanxi provincial committee of the CPC, was expelled from the Party and removed from public office for "serious violations of Party discipline and law".

According to the CCDI, Qian lost his ideals and beliefs and wasn't loyal to the Party. He didn't accurately report his personal matters to the Party organization and resisted the Party's inspection.

The watchdog said he violated the Party's eight frugality rules in banquets, as well as in travel and gym activities arranged by the owners of private businesses. He gambled with bosses from private enterprises and also accepted their gifts, cash and consumer cards, it said.

According to the National Supervisory Commission, he abused power to help others in job promotions and bidding for projects, then accepted huge bribes in return.

His illicit assets will be confiscated and criminal evidence will be transferred to prosecutors for further action.