Former Party chief of Xizang pleads guilty to bribery

Wu Yingjie, former Party chief of the Xizang autonomous region, pleaded guilty to bribery charges during a trial in Beijing on Thursday.

Prosecutors said Wu accepted bribes worth more than 343 million yuan ($47.37 million) between June 2006 and February 2021. During that time, he held various positions in Xizang, including Party secretary, vice-chairman of the regional government and head of the regional publicity department.   

According to prosecutors, Wu used his positions to secure benefits for others in project contracting and business operations.   

The Beijing No 3 Intermediate People's Court stated that a verdict will be announced at a later date.

More than 50 people, including national lawmakers and political advisers, attended the hearing.

Wu, 68, a native of Shandong province, began his career in 1974 and joined the Communist Party of China in 1987.   

Wu held various positions over the course of nearly five decades in Xizang. He also served as deputy head of the National People's Congress' Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee between October 2021 and March 2023.   

Prior to his investigation in June 2024, Wu was a member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, serving as head of the CPPCC National Committee's Committee on Cultural, Historical Data and Studies.   

China's anti-corruption watchdogs said Wu had violated Party disciplines and national laws, harming the region's development. They also accused him of failing to implement the Party's strategy for governing Xizang and interfering with engineering projects for personal gain.   

He was expelled from the Party and removed from public office in December last year. He was prosecuted for taking bribes on March 13.