Disgraced former Guangdong adviser stands trial for graft

Chen Shaoji, a former top political adviser of Guangdong, has gone on trial in Chongqing after being charged with taking bribes of nearly 30 million yuan (HK$34 million).

Chen's case was heard at the Chongqing People's Procuratorate First Branch, Xinhua reported. He was accused of power abuse from February 1992 to April last year while holding various senior positions to obtain profits.

During the period, he was the head of the Guangdong provincial committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the province's police chief.

He was also accused of obtaining benefits totalling 29.59 million yuan for himself, his son, Chen Ziyi, and his mistress, Li Bing.

Evidence was presented during the hearing and Chen was defended by his lawyer, Xinhua said. It also said the hearing was open to the public and news media.

The trial came more than a year after the 65-year-old Zhongshan native was arrested for corruption by the Communist Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. He was reportedly flown to Beijing by anti-graft officials on a chartered plane after being placed under shuanggui, or party disciplinary investigation.

Chen was brought down in a Guangdong anti-corruption storm last year that also toppled former top graft-buster Wang Huayuan , former Shenzhen mayor Xu Zongheng , and the provincial labour and social security department head, Liu Youjun.