Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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                China Tries Ex-economic Official for Corruption

   by VOA News

   A former senior Chinese economic official stood trial Wednesday on
   charges of taking nearly $6 million in bribes.

   Liu Tienan is the ex-deputy director of the National Development and
   Reform Commission, which is in charge of steering the world's second
   largest economy.

   He is the latest Chinese official to be brought down in a highly
   publicized campaign meant to weed out corruption in the Communist
   Party.

   A court in the northern province of Hebei said Liu took $5.8 million in
   bribes. Some were in the form of cash. Others were gifts, including a
   Porsche and a Beijing villa.

   He is almost certain to be found guilty, since Chinese courts are
   controlled by the Communist Party and virtually never rule in favor of
   the defendant in such cases.

   The allegations against Liu were first made in 2012 by a journalist at
   the Caijing investigative magazine. Liu was later expelled from the
   Communist Party and placed under investigation.

   Liu is among the highest ranking Chinese officials to be brought down
   by President Xi Jinping's corruption campaign.

   Earlier this year, the party announced it placed powerful former
   security chief Zhou Yongkang under investigation for corruption.

   President Xi has warned that corruption is rampant within official
   circles and has warned that it could threaten the party's grip on
   power.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/china-tries-ex-economic-official-for-
   corruption/2460428.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/china-tries-ex-economic-official-for-corruption/2460428.html