Senior SW China official to stand trial for corruption

XI'AN - A court in northwest China will hear the corruption case of Liao Shaohua, a former senior official in Southwest China's Guizhou province, on Jan 22.

The Intermediate People's Court of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, said in a statement that it will hear the trial of Liao, former Communist Party chief of Zunyi city in Guizhou.

Prosecutors have filed bribery charges, accusing Liao of taking advantage of his position to seek profits for others and accepting large amounts of money or gifts in bribes.

Liao was also charged with abuse of power resulting in huge losses to public property.

Liao is among a number of senior officials brought down after the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC) dispatched inspectors to scrutinize local governments, large state-owned enterprises and public institutions last year.

After taking the helm of the CPC in November 2012 and later as the country's top leader in March 2013, Xi Jinping vowed to fight corruption and harmful work styles, calling on the entire Party to stay on full alert against corruption.