Ex-vice governor gets life for graft

Tian Xueren, former executive governor of Jilin province, stands trial at Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court, Nov 1, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

Tian Xueren, former vice governor of Jilin province, was given a life sentence by Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court on Friday morning.

Tian entered a guilty plea, according to a press release from the court

All his personal assets will be confiscated, according to the court ruling.

A court hearing regarding Tian's bribery case was held on Oct 10. He was charged with receiving 85 bribes worth more than 19 million yuan ($3.1 million) from 1995 to 2011. The bribes were in return for business favors, jobs for relatives and securing places at various education institutions.

In July 2012, the Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China launched an investigation into Tian's affairs which found that he had accepted large bribes. With the approval of the CPC Central Committee, Tian was expelled from the CPC and discharged from public employment. The money he received in bribes was confiscated, according to the release.

Born in 1947, Tian served as vice governor of Jilin province from 2004 to 2007. From 2008 to 2012, he was chairman of the Bank of Jilin.