Zhou Jiabin, Former Party Secretary of Guilin, Sentenced to Life in Prison for Taking Bribes of Over 198 Million Yuan

Editor's Note: This article was originally published by The Paper (thepaper.cn) and translated from Chinese.

On June 29, 2026, the Changde Intermediate People's Court in Hunan Province publicly delivered its first-instance verdict in the bribery case of Zhou Jiabin, former member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Congress, and former Party Secretary of Guilin. The defendant Zhou Jiabin was sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery, deprived of political rights for life, and had all personal property confiscated. The illicit gains and their proceeds that have been recovered will be turned over to the state treasury, and the remaining portion will continue to be pursued.

According to the trial findings: from 2009 to 2024, the defendant Zhou Jiabin took advantage of his positions as a member of the Standing Committee of the Nanning Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor of Nanning, Deputy Party Secretary and Mayor of Beihai, Deputy Party Secretary and Mayor of Guilin, Party Secretary and Director of the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Party Secretary of Guilin, and member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Congress, as well as the favorable conditions formed by his authority or status, to provide assistance to relevant units and individuals in matters such as project contracting, fund allocation, and position promotion. He accepted property worth approximately 198 million yuan from the aforementioned units and individuals.

The Changde Intermediate People's Court held that Zhou Jiabin's conduct constituted the crime of bribery. The amount of bribes was particularly huge, causing especially significant losses to the interests of the state and the people, warranting severe punishment under the law. However, considering that he had made major meritorious contributions, truthfully confessed his crimes after being brought to justice, voluntarily disclosed most of the bribery facts not yet known to the investigative authorities, expressed remorse and repentance, actively returned illicit gains, and most of the involved illicit money and property had been recovered, the court could impose a lighter sentence according to law. The court therefore rendered the above judgment.

It is reported that the Changde Intermediate People's Court held a public trial of the case on March 26, 2026. During the trial, the procuratorial authorities presented relevant evidence. The defendant Zhou Jiabin and his defense counsel conducted cross-examination. Both the prosecution and defense fully presented their opinions under the presiding of the court. Zhou Jiabin made a final statement and expressed repentance in court. Forty people, including deputies to the People's Congress, members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and members of the public, attended the trial.