CRI听力:Former Senior Economic Official Sentenced to Life in Prison

Liu Tienan is the former deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

He's been convicted of accepting bribes of worth close to 36-million yuan over a 10-year span from 2002 to 2012.

The court has determined Liu either took the bribes personally or through his son, Liu Decheng.

The trial itself finished in September, and it takes three months for the court to deliver its verdict.

Zhao Guizhong is the presiding judge.

"The court deems that the defendant, Liu Tienan, as a government employee, took advantage of his position to seek gains for others, illegally took cash or gifts from others directly by himself or via his son Liu Decheng. His activities amount to committing the crime of bribery. Prosecutors have accused Liu of the crime of bribery, with clear facts and solid and ample evidence. Liu is found guilty."

The court has determined that almost all the bribes Liu received were accepted by Liu's son.

Most of the money changed hands in 2005 and 2006, when Liu was the director of the National Development and Reform Commission's industry department.

The National Development and Reform Commission is China's central planning commission, and acts almost like a mini-cabinet, as it holds the power to approve major projects.

Speaking in court, Liu admitted to taking bribes as far back as 2002.

"The second bribe took place when I visited the company, the Nanshan Group. I saw him putting something in my bag. I thought it was a gift, but it turned out to be 20-thousand yuan."

In handing down the sentence, the court says a number of mitigating factors were considered in not imposing a harsher sentence, which could have included the death penalty.

The court says Liu's honesty and remorse for his crimes is ground for some lenience.

In 2012, Luo Changping, an editor with Caijing Magazine, disclosed Liu's suspected misconduct on social media, which has drew nationwide attention.

Liu became the first ministerial-level official to face investigation after President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.

The new leadership's ongoing anti-graft campaign has since scooped up several high-ranking officials, including former politburo member Zhou Yongkang and Military heavyweight Xu Caihou.

Zhou Yongkang has since been arrested and officially expelled from the Communist Party.

For CRI, I'm Wang Mengzhen.