China’s former state-assets chief jailed 16 years

Jiang, 61, was an ally of disgraced domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang, who is now serving a life sentence after being convicted in June of corruption, abuse of power and sharing state secrets.

Several senior CNPC executives have already been put under investigation in the far-reaching graft crackdown, among them former chairman Jiang Jiemin, who on Monday was sentenced to 16 years in prison for bribery and abuse of power. Authorities also confiscated about about 1 million yuan ($157,600) from Jiang, 60, after he failed to explain where it came from, the report said. Their personal assets were confiscated.

Another court sentenced Li Chuncheng, a former top party official in Sichuan Province in southwestern China, to 13 years for the same offense.

He reportedly owned property that clearly exceeded his legitimate earnings and could not identify the source of the additional income.

Meanwhile, Guo Yongxiang – a former deputy governor of Sichuan province – was found guilty of receiving more than 43 million yuan in bribes, largely through his family network, between 2001 and 2013.

The properties acquired illegally were given to him or to his wife. He cooperated with the investigation, and received a reduced sentence, said a court in Yichang city, also in Hubei.

Both Jiang and Li pleaded guilty and will not appeal.

With instruction and consent from political heavyweight Zhou Yongkang, a former member of the Politburo Standing Committee, Jiang violated regulations by helping others in businesses, causing huge losses to the state, it added.

Zhou is one of the highest ranking Chinese politicians to be sacked in the ongoing anti-corruption battle. Jiemin admitted to all the charges of taking bribe and committing abuse of power. According to Xinhua News Agency, Jiang and Zhou used their influence at China National Petroleum Corporation from 2004 to 2008 period to help undisclosed sources win bids for oil and gas exploration, gas tribune generation, and natural gas supply contracts.