Sun Zhigang, the former Party chief of Guizhou province and deputy director of the National People's Congress Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes totaling 813 million yuan ($113.6 million) during a public trial held by the Second Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin Municipality on Wednesday.

Sun confessed his crimes and made a final statement in court. The court announced that sentencing will be made at a later date.

Prosecutors accused Sun of taking advantage of his various positions — including as secretary-general of the Communist Party of China Hubei Provincial Committee, vice-governor of Anhui province, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, and governor and Party chief of Guizhou — to help companies and people in such matters as winning contracts for projects, procuring shares in enterprises and developing real estate.

In exchange, he accepted property and money totaling over 813 million yuan directly or through intermediaries.

Prosecutors recommended Sun be held criminally responsible for his actions.

More than 20 people, including national lawmakers, political advisers and journalists, attended his trial, during which he pleaded guilty.

Sun, 70, a native of Henan province, began working in 1971 and became a Party member in 1976. He worked in Hubei province from 1985 to September 2006, holding positions such as vice-mayor of Wuhan, Hubei's provincial capital, and mayor and Party chief of Yichang.

He served as the secretary-general of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee from August 2002 to September 2006.

Subsequently, he served as vice-governor of Anhui until the end of 2010. He then worked at the National Development and Reform Commission and at the former National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Sun was appointed acting governor of Guizhou in late 2015 and became the province's governor in January 2016. He held the position of Party chief of Guizhou from 2017 until the end of 2020. Afterward, he served as the deputy director of the NPC Financial and Economic Affairs Committee until March last year.

Sun underwent a disciplinary review and supervisory investigation in August last year. He was expelled from the Party and arrested in February.

Prosecutors in Tianjin officially charged him in May with accepting bribes.

yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn