Former senior provincial legislator of Hebei prosecuted

BEIJING -- Xie Jilai, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of Hebei Provincial People's Congress, has been indicted on bribe-taking charges.

Xie was accused of taking advantage of his various former positions to seek benefits for others in job promotion and adjustment as well as project development among other matters, and accepting vast sums of money and valuables in return, according to an official statement released on Friday.

Xie's case was handed over to the first branch of the Tianjin Municipal People's Procuratorate for review and prosecution upon the designation of the Supreme People's Procuratorate after the National Commission of Supervision concluded the investigation, the statement said.

Xie will stand trial in the First Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin, it added.

The prosecutors had informed the defendant of his litigation rights, interrogated him and heard the defense counsel's opinions.