Former Party chief of Xizang sentenced

Wu Yingjie, former Party chief of the Xizang autonomous region, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting bribes totaling more than 343 million yuan ($47.78 million), a Beijing court announced on Wednesday.

Wu was also deprived of his political rights for life, and all his personal assets were confiscated. His illicit gains and related interests will be turned over to the State treasury, according to the ruling from the Beijing No 3 Intermediate People's Court.

In China, a suspended death sentence is typically commuted to life in prison if the inmate commits no further crimes during the two-year probation period. The sentence can be reduced further for good behavior.