Former Chinese lawmaker sentenced to death over bribery

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – A court in China on Tuesday sentenced a senior lawmaker of the southern island province of Hainan to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting bribes, state-run Xinhua News reported.

Liu Xingtai, former vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hainan Provincial People's Congress, has been deprived of his political rights for life, the court in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region announced.

The court said in a verdict that Liu’s personal property will be confiscated and his illicit gains from bribery will be turned over to the state treasury.

It ruled that between 2003 and 2024, Liu exploited his official roles in the Shandong and Hainan provinces to help individuals and organizations with business dealings and fund disbursements.

In exchange, he received over 316 million yuan (approximately $44.38 million) in bribes. Liu was tried on May 29, during which he admitted his guilt and expressed regret in his closing remarks.