Ex-Shandong senior official pleads guilty
Ji Xiangqi, former vice-governor of Shandong province, pleaded guilty to graft charges during his trial at the Intermediate People’s Court of Jinzhong, Shanxi province on Thursday.
Prosecutors said Ji, 58, abused his power as chairman and president of a commercial business in Shandong province and as the province’s vice-governor from 2003 to 2017. He sought profit for other enterprises in business cooperation and major projects, and accepted money and property worth 25.7 million yuan ($3.7 million).
From 2004 to 2013, when Ji served as the president of Lushang Group and as the legal representative of Shandong Inzone Art Museum, he used his positions to take possession of paintings and other artwork valued at 12.2 million yuan.
Ji pleaded guilty after making a statement.
He was charged with bribery and corruption by the Jinzhong people’s procuratorate on Oct 23.
The court proceedings were heard by around 70 people, including Ji’s relatives, National People’s Congress deputies, members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and journalists.
The court will pronounce sentence on another day.
Separately, Qian Yin’an, 54, secretary-general of the Shaanxi Committee of the Communist Party of China, who has been a member of its Standing Committee, was under investigation for severe violations of Party discipline and laws, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced on Thursday.