Two Allies of China Ex-Security Chief Jailed For Graft

Beijing: Two former senior Chinese politicians were convicted of corruption and given lengthy prison terms today, courts said, the latest figures to be jailed in President Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign.

Both men are seen as allies of Zhou Yongkang, the former security chief who became the highest-level victim of Xi's drive when he was jailed for life in June, in what many observers say was a political purge.

Jiang Jiemin, the former head of the body that regulates China's state-owned firms, was sentenced to 16 years, the Hanjiang Intermediate People's Court said on a verified social media account.

He was convicted of "accepting bribes, large amounts of money and property from unknown sources, and using state-owned companies for personal gain", it added.

Li Chuncheng, former vice Communist Party boss of Sichuan one of Zhou's former power bases was sentenced to 13 years for accepting bribes and abuse of power, according to a statement from the Xianning Intermediate Peoples's Court posted on Sina Weibo.

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Jiang is a former head of the China National Petroleum Corporation, a post previously held by Zhou, and Jiang and Li are reportedly part of a Communist Party faction with roots in the oil industry, known as the "petroleum gang".

Aside from the prison sentences, both men will have one million yuan ($158,000) in personal assets confiscated, the statements said. Jiang and Li both accepted the sentences and will not appeal, the courts added.

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Communist Party authorities have waged a much-publicised campaign against endemic graft since Xi ascended to the organisation's leadership two years ago.

But critics say no systemic reforms have been introduced to increase transparency and help battle the problem, while anti-corruption demonstrators have been jailed.

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Corruption trials of former officials in China are closely managed by the ruling party, which retains control of China's police, prosecution and courts.