A Chinese court has sentenced Zhang Zulin, the former vice governor of Yunnan Province, to life in prison for accepting massive bribes over two decades. The Intermediate People’s Court in Chongqing delivered the judgment on Thursday, declaring that Zhang used his government positions between 2001 and 2023 to secure illegal benefits for individuals and organizations. These included favors in real estate deals, loan approvals, project contracts, and government project permissions.
The court confirmed that Zhang collected more than 122 million yuan, around $17 million, in cash and valuables. As part of the sentence, he will lose all political rights for life, and his personal assets will be seized. Authorities also ordered the recovery of all illegal gains, which will be returned to the national treasury. His trial was held in public on April 10.
