Former Ningxia chairperson prosecuted for bribery

Liu Hui, a former senior political adviser and former chairwoman of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, has been prosecuted on charges of accepting bribes, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Tuesday.

The case was investigated by the National Commission of Supervision before being transferred to prosecutors for review. The SPP approved Liu's arrest on suspicion of bribery and designated the People's Procuratorate of Heze, Shandong province, to handle the prosecution.

The Heze procuratorate recently filed charges against Liu with the Intermediate People's Court of Heze, the SPP said. Prosecutors allege that Liu took advantage of positions she held in Ningxia, including vice-chairwoman and chairwoman of the regional government and deputy Party chief of the region, as well as her posts including deputy head of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission.

She allegedly used her positions, as well as influence derived from her authority and status, to seek benefits for others and illegally accepted an especially large amount of money and valuables in return. Prosecutors informed Liu of her legal rights, questioned her, and heard opinions from her defense counsel during the review and prosecution process.

Liu, 66, of Hui ethnicity and a native of Tianjin, spent much of her career in Ningxia. She became vice-chairwoman of the regional government in 2003 and chairwoman in 2013. She became deputy head of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission in 2016. In 2022, she became a deputy director of the Committee on Education, Science, Health and Sports of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Upon the conclusion of the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC's term in 2023, she stepped down from public office.

Liu was placed under investigation in July 2025. In March, she was expelled from the Party, had her entitlements revoked, and had her illicit gains confiscated. Her case and illicit gains were then handed over to prosecuting authorities.