What’s new: Chen Jiadong, former top legislator of the eastern Chinese city of Xiamen, pleaded guilty Thursday to accepting about 94 million yuan ($13 million) in bribes and other crimes that altogether cost the state more than 190 million yuan, a court said.
The former director of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Xiamen stood trial Thursday in Jiangxi Nanchang Intermediate People’s Court on charges of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.
Prosecutors found that Chen abused his positions between 2000 and 2022, accepting bribes in exchange for his help obtaining contracts and the rights to use forested land, among other favors, according to a court statement.
From 2013 to 2014, Chen also abused his position as party chief of Zhangzhou, Fujian province, to illegally overpay property developers for their projects, leading to a loss of more than 190 million yuan in state property, prosecutors said. Using the same position, he also embezzled 3.4 million yuan worth of state property with others between 2015 and 2017.
The court did not give a date for Chen’s sentencing.
The background: Chen is the 12th senior Chinese official to face trial this year for bribery, as the country’s sweeping crackdown on corruption continues.
In February 2022, authorities announced the veteran forestry official was under investigation. Six months later, he was removed from public office and expelled from the Communist Party. His arrest soon followed.
In April, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection singled out 10 cases of officials, including Chen, for violating party discipline.
Contact reporter Wang Xintong (xintongwang@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)
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