CHONGQING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Qizhala, previously a Chinese official, was sentenced to life imprisonment for accepting bribes, according to the verdict issued on Friday by a court in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

Qizhala served as a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which is the country's top political advisory body, when a disciplinary probe was initiated on him in January 2025. He was later expelled from the Communist Party of China and dismissed from public office, and was prosecuted over bribery charges in December last year.

According to the sentence, Qizhala was also deprived of political rights for the remainder of his life. His personal property will be confiscated, and his illegal gains will be recovered and turned over to the state treasury.

The court found that he had abused his various positions, including head of the government of Xizang Autonomous Region, by assisting others in matters such as real estate development, project contracting, administrative approvals and job promotion, illegally accepting money and gifts worth over 158 million yuan (about 23.3 million U.S. dollars) in return.

An open trial took place on March 27. In his final statement, Qizhala pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. ■