Former senior Xiamen municipal legislator stands trial for graft

NANCHANG, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Chen Jiadong, a former senior legislator in Xiamen City, east China's Fujian Province, stood trial for taking bribes, embezzlement, and abuse of power in eastern China's Jiangxi Province Thursday.

Chen is formerly the chairman of the Standing Committee of the Xiamen Municipal People's Congress.

He was charged with taking advantage of his various positions in Tibet Autonomous Region and Fujian to seek benefits for others and accept over 94.15 million yuan (about 13.04 million U.S. dollars) worth of money and valuables in return between 2000 and 2022.

Chen allegedly took advantage of his post in Fujian's Zhangzhou City between 2015 and 2017 to embezzle over 3.41 million yuan worth of state-owned properties, according to the prosecutors of Nanchang City, where the trial occurred.

The prosecutors also accused Chen of malpractice for personal gains and abuse of power while working in Zhangzhou City between 2013 to 2014, which had caused state asset losses of more than 190 million yuan.

During hearings at the Intermediate People's Court of Nanchang, prosecutors presented their evidence, which the defendant and his lawyers cross-examined.

Chen pleaded guilty and expressed remorse in his final statement.

The verdict will be announced in due course.