A screen grab from China Central Television's prime time news program on Thursday evening shows former security chief Zhou Yongkang receiving his verdict of life in prison. He told the court he accepts the verdict and will not appeal. Photo: CFP

Zhou Yongkang, China's former security chief, was sentenced on Thursday to life imprisonment for accepting bribes, abusing power and deliberately disclosing State secrets, making him the highest-level official convicted in the republic's history.

Zhou pled guilty and said he would not appeal, the Xinhua News Agency reported. He was deprived of his political rights for life and his personal assets were confiscated.

Zhou had a closed-door trial at Tianjin Municipal No.1 Intermediate People's Court on May 22 due to the involvement of State secrets, the report said. The trial was not publicized until Thursday.

Zhou, 72, was convicted of taking bribes of about 130 million yuan ($21.3 million).

A commentary from the People's Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said Zhou's trial reflects the principle of equality before the law and the necessity to advance the rule of law.

Zhou was formerly a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee.

Before that, he had served as general manager of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee.

Despite the closed-door trial, China Central Television on Thursday aired footage showing Zhou flanked by police officers, with a grim look on his face, appearing in court dressed in a white shirt and a dark jacket, his hair now completely gray instead of jet-black.

Profit-seeking for others

According to the court, Zhou took advantage of his position to seek profits for Wu Bing, Ding Xuefeng, Wen Qingshan, Zhou Hao and Jiang Jiemin. Zhou reportedly took bribes from Jiang totaling 731,100 yuan.

Jiang, who was CNPC's Party chief between 2006 and 2013, was tried in April this year for bribery and abuse of power. No verdict has been announced for Jiang.

The indictment also named Wu Bing, a businessman from Sichuan Province who allegedly served as proxy in business for Zhou Yongkang's son Zhou Bin, Ding Xuefeng, former mayor of Lüliang, Shanxi Province, Wen Qingshan, former chief accountant of the CNPC and Zhou Hao, former Party chief of Liaohe oilfield in Northeast China.

The court also said that Zhou Yongkang was aware that his wife Jia Xiaoye and son Zhou Bin had taken more than 129 million yuan in bribes. His wife and son testified through a video while Wu Bing and Jiang Jiemin appeared in court.

The court has also obtained evidence that Zhou Yongkang had asked Jiang and former deputy Party chief of Sichuan Province Li Chuncheng to "provide assistance" in business activities for his sons, his brother and his close friends, helping them to illegally profit to the order of more than 2.1 billion yuan.

Passing on State secrets

Zhou leaked five "extremely confidential" documents and one "confidential" document to Cao Yongzheng, an unauthorized person, directly contravening the State Secret Law, Xinhua reported.

The court said that Zhou's abuse of power and deliberate disclosure of State secrets were "in particularly grave circumstances," but his disclosure of State secrets "did not have very serious consequences."

According to a previous report by Southern Weekly, Cao was best known in the 1980s as a "Qigong master" who allegedly possessed "supernatural powers." He reportedly became acquainted with many high-level officials because of his stunts. He later became close with Zhou Yongkang and told other people that the former security chief would introduce him as his "most trusted friend," the weekly reported.

'Deep regret'

In his final statement, Zhou conveyed his deep regret.

"The basic facts are clear. I plead guilty and repent my wrongdoing," he said. "Those involved, who bribed my family, were actually coming after the power I held, and I should take the main responsibility."

"The handling of my case in accordance with Party rules and the law reflects the authorities' determination to govern the Party strictly and advance the rule of law," Zhou said.

The court said it reached the verdict "in accordance with the facts, nature, and details" of Zhou's crimes, based on the harm done to society. It also said the legitimate litigation rights of Zhou and his defense attorneys were fully guaranteed.

"The handling of the case reflects our Party's firm determination to crack down on corruption," said the People's Daily commentary.

It said that the ultimate way to combat corruption is to place power under supervision of the law.

Zhou's fall



July 29, 2014: The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) decides to put Zhou Yongkang under investigation for suspected "serious disciplinary violations."

December 5, 2014: Zhou is expelled from the CPC and transferred to judicial organs for criminal prosecution. Accusations against Zhou from the CPC disciplinary body include taking a "huge amount of bribes," abusing his power to help relatives, mistresses and friends make illegal gains, leaking Party and State secrets, committing adultery with a number of women and trading his power for sex and money.

December 6, 2014: The Supreme People's Procuratorate opens the investigation into Zhou's suspected crimes and officially arrests him.

April 3, 2015: The No.1 branch of Tianjin Municipal People's Procuratorate initiated prosecution against Zhou on charges of bribery, abuse of power and intentional disclosure of state secrets.

May 22, 2015: Tianjin Municipal No.1 Intermediate People's Court sits to hear a closed-door trial against Zhou. The case was not open to the public as it involved disclosure of State secrets, the court said.

June 11, 2015: Zhou is sentenced to life imprisonment for accepting bribes, abuse of power and deliberately disclosing State secrets. His political rights are deprived for life and personal assets are confiscated.


Read more in Special Coverage:  Zhou Yongkang's fall from power