Former Heilongjiang vice-governor prosecuted on bribery counts

Bi Baowen, former vice-governor of Heilongjiang province and former head of the provincial public security department, has been prosecuted on charges of bribery and accepting bribes by using influence, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Friday.

The Shenyang People's Procuratorate in Liaoning province recently filed an indictment against Bi with the Shenyang Intermediate People's Court, according to the SPP.

Prosecutors allege that Bi took advantage of a series of senior positions he held in the public security system in Shandong and Heilongjiang provinces to seek benefits for others and illegally accept an especially large amount of money and valuables.

The positions cited in the indictment include police chief of Binzhou in Shandong, deputy head and later executive deputy head of the Shandong Provincial Public Security Department, head of the Heilongjiang Provincial Public Security Department, and vice-governor of Heilongjiang.

Prosecutors also allege that Bi used the influence derived from his positions to have other State employees seek improper benefits for others in exchange for money and valuables.

After retiring, Bi allegedly continued to exploit the influence associated with his former senior posts in the Shandong public security system, using other State employees to seek improper benefits for others and accepting a large amount of money and valuables in return.

Prosecutors said Bi should be held criminally responsible for both bribery and accepting bribes by using influence.

During the review and prosecution process, prosecutors informed Bi of his procedural rights, questioned him, and heard opinions from his defense counsel, the SPP said.

The case was investigated by the National Commission of Supervision before being transferred to prosecutors for review and prosecution. The SPP approved Bi's arrest on suspicion of the two offenses and designated the Shenyang procuratorate to handle the case.

Bi, 66, a native of Shandong province, began working in 1980, joined the Communist Party of China in 1985, and spent most of his career in the public security system.

He worked in Shandong for about 36 years, serving as the police chief of Rizhao and Binzhou before moving to the provincial public security department, where he rose to executive deputy head.

Bi was transferred to Heilongjiang in May 2016 to head the provincial public security department. He became vice-governor of Heilongjiang in 2017 while continuing to oversee public security work and also served as a deputy head of the provincial political and legal affairs commission. He retired in August 2020.

Bi was placed under investigation in November 2025 and expelled from the Communist Party of China in May 2026.

Anti-graft authorities said in a statement that Bi accepted banquets that could have affected the impartial performance of his duties, sought benefits for others in personnel appointments in exchange for money and valuables, and improperly accepted cash gifts.

He was also accused of allowing relatives to use his authority and influence for private gain, improperly issuing vehicle license plates, and using his public security powers to benefit others in case handling and project contracting in exchange for large amounts of money and valuables.