Former officials charged with graft

Three former ministerial-level officials, including a former vice-governor, have been charged with bribery and other crimes, China's top prosecuting authority said on Wednesday.

"During interrogations, prosecutors informed them of their right to appeal over suspected illegal evidence collection, and they fully listened to the defense statements provided by their lawyers, to protect their legitimate rights," according to a statement from the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Zhou Chunyu, 50, a former vice-governor of Anhui province, has been charged by prosecutors in Jinan, Shandong province with bribery, concealing deposits in foreign bank accounts, abusing power and insider trading. The case has been filed with the city's intermediate people's court.

According to the indictment, Zhou used his position to gain benefits for others and accepted huge bribes, either in cash or other assets, between 1997 and 2016.

He was accused of violating Party rules and failing to report the amount of his savings in banks overseas.

Moreover, he allegedly abused power to obtain insider information and illegally purchased stocks, causing economic losses to the country, according to prosecutors.

Over a course of 19 years, in addition to being vice-governor, Zhou also served as secretary of the General Office of the Anhui Committee of the Communist Party of China, deputy director of finance for Anhui, mayor of Maanshan and Bengbu and Party secretary in Bengbu.

In a separate development, Wang Sanyun, vice-chairman of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the 12th National People's Congress, was charged with accepting bribes by prosecutors in Zhengzhou, Henan province.

The case has been filed with the Zhengzhou Intermediate People's Court.

According to prosecutors, Wang took advantage of his position to benefit enterprises or individuals in exchange for huge bribes while serving as Party secretary of Liupanshui in Guizhou province, deputy Party secretary of Guizhou and Party secretary of Gansu province.

Elsewhere, Cai Xiyou, former general manager of State-owned chemical maker Sinochem Group, has been charged with bribery by prosecutors in Taian, Shandong province.

He is also accused of abusing power to gain benefits for others and accepting bribes between 1996 and 2009.

During the course of 13 years, before joining Sinochem, he also held posts including deputy manager of Dalian West Pacific Petrochemical Co and senior vice-president of Sinopec.