Liu Shaoyong, former chairman of China Eastern Airlines, is sentenced to 14 years in prison for accepting more than 67.5 million yuan ($9.5 million) in bribes. Photo: Screenshot of CMG

Liu Shaoyong, former chairman of China Eastern Airlines (CEA), was sentenced to 14 years in prison for accepting more than 67.5 million yuan ($9.5 million) in bribes, a court in Northeast China's Liaoning Province ruled on Tuesday, according to China Media Group (CMG).

The Shenyang Intermediate People's Court also imposed a fine of 4 million yuan and ordered that Liu's illicit gains and related proceeds be recovered and turned over to the state coffers, CMG reported.

The court found that between 2002 and 2023, Liu abused his positions at CEA and China Southern Airlines to provide assistance to companies and individuals in business operations, project contracts, and flight route management, illegally accepting money and valuables worth more than 67.5 million yuan.

The court said that Liu's conduct constituted bribery involving money and valuables in "an exceedingly large amount." However, it handed down a lighter sentence after considering some mitigating circumstances, including an attempted offense, his truthful confession, voluntary disclosure of previously unknown offenses, expression of remorse and cooperation in recovering illicit gains. All illicit assets and related proceeds had been recovered, according to the court.

The case was publicly heard on July 24, 2026. During the trial, Liu pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, while more than 30 people, including lawmakers, political advisers and members of the public, attended the proceedings, CMG reported.

Liu was placed under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Commission of Supervision in June 2025 for suspected serious violations of Party discipline and state laws. He was expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) in January 2026 after investigators found that he had abused his authority for personal gain in areas including project contracting, flight management and aircraft leasing. Prosecutors formally charged him with bribery in May 2026.

The sentencing comes amid China's continued anti-corruption campaign targeting officials at various levels, including executives of state-owned enterprises. According to data released by the CCDI and the National Commission of Supervision on October 27, disciplinary and supervisory authorities investigated 800,000 cases and imposed disciplinary or administrative penalties on 680,000 people in the first nine months of 2026, including 105 officials at the provincial or ministerial level and above.

China Eastern Airlines, headquartered in Shanghai, is one of China's three major state-owned aviation groups and operates a fleet of over 800 aircraft—one of the youngest in the world—as the global launch customer for China-produced C919. As a SkyTeam member, it serves more than 140 million passengers annually across a network covering over 1,000 destinations in 160 countries and regions.


Global Times