Ex-Guizhou official Zhou Jiankun admits guilt in $15 million bribery trial

Zhou Jiankun, a former high-ranking official in China's Guizhou province, stood trial on Wednesday on charges of accepting over 108 million yuan ($15 million) in bribes. The public hearing at the First Intermediate People's Court of Chongqing marked the first instance in Zhou's case.

Zhou, who served as deputy secretary and vice-chairman of the Guizhou Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, is accused of leveraging his various positions for personal gain.

The prosecution alleges that Zhou abused his power as deputy secretary of the Party Committee and mayor of Duyun city, secretary of Duyun's Party Committee, deputy director of the Guizhou Provincial Economic and Information Commission, and other roles to illegally assist businesses and individuals in areas like enterprise operations, engineering contracts, and project approvals.

The court proceedings saw the prosecution present evidence and Zhou and his defense counsel cross-examine it. Both sides presented their arguments under the court's supervision. Zhou expressed remorse and pleaded guilty in his final statement.

The court adjourned the trial at the end of the day, with the judgment expected to be pronounced at a later date. More than 40 observers, including representatives from the National People's Congress, the People's Congress of Chongqing, the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC, and members of the public, attended the hearing.

Zhou's case highlights China's ongoing anti-corruption campaign, which has seen several high-profile officials investigated and prosecuted in recent years.

Zhou's official investigation was announced in November 2022, followed by his expulsion from both the Communist Party of China and his government position.