Former Beihang University vice president pleads guilty to bribery

Zhang Guang, former vice president of Beihang University, pleaded guilty Friday to accepting bribes during his trial in Nanchang, Jiangxi province.

According to an indictment provided by Nanchang prosecutors, from 2008 to 2022, Zhang allegedly used his positions within the Beijing-based university, including that of director of its continuing education school, assistant to its president and vice-president, to seek profits for others in various areas such as the operation of the company, registration, recruitment and professional promotion, and in exchange he accepted bribes from worth more than 21.2 million yuan ($2.98 million).

Prosecutors submitted bribe-related evidence to the Nanchang Intermediate People’s Court, saying Zhang should be held criminally responsible for the corruption crime.

During the trial, Zhang and his lawyer also shared their opinions on the evidence, and Zhang confessed to the offense in his closing statement.

The court said the verdict would be announced later.

More than 30 people, including national lawmakers and policy advisers, attended the hearing.

Public information shows that Zhang, 51, a native of Heilongjiang Province, was placed under disciplinary investigation and supervision in August 2023. He was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party and removed from public office early of this year.

In May, he was charged with corruption.