CHINA: OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR CORRUPTION

the former Party secretary of Wenchang City in Hainan Province, China, was sentenced to death for accepting bribes and possessing a large amount of property of unknown origin. However, the Hainan Intermediate People's Court gave Xie Mingzhong a two-year reprieve. All his personal assets were confiscated, the Shanghai Morning Post reported. The court said Xie accepted a total of 18.04 million yuan (US$2.65 million) in bribes from 1992 to 2007 when he worked as vice director for the Hainan Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources Exploration, and as secretary of the China Youth League's Hainan provincial committee and Party chief of Wenchang city. He took bribes and abused his authority on project approvals, capital arrangements, urban planning and job promotions, the court heard. Xie also failed to explain the source of his other property - worth more than 7 million yuan, the report said. Xie has 10 days to appeal his sentence, the court said.