Former top Jiangsu lawmaker pleads guilty to bribery and abuse of power

Liu Handong, a former top lawmaker in Jiangsu Province, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes, abusing power and illegally trading land rights during a trial in Xiangyang, Hubei Province, on Thursday.

According to the indictment provided by prosecutors, Liu, a former vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress, abused his various positions from 1999 to 2023 and abused his power to benefit others by illegally accepting bribes worth more than 245 million yuan ($34.4 million).

He also abused his authority in matters such as the transfer of land use rights and land value-added tax exemptions, resulting in significant damage to public assets and state interests from 2001 to 2017, when he worked in Jiangpu County, Nanjing City and the Jiangsu Administration of Finance, prosecutors said.

They added that Liu was also involved in illegal land use rights trading in 2003.

Prosecutors submitted evidence to the Xiangyang Intermediate People’s Court, saying Li should be prosecuted for bribery, abuse of power and illegal land use rights trading. During the court session, in his last word, he confessed to what he had done.

The verdict will be announced later, the court said. The hearing was attended by more than 20 people, including national legislators and political advisers.

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