The Liaoning Provincial Higher People's Court has upheld an 18-year jail term against Mao Jingxiang, former public security head in Fuxin city of the northeastern province, for receiving bribes and extorting public funds.

Mao was convicted in December 2003 by the Intermediate People's Court in Anshan city of taking 950,000 yuan (114,000 US dollars) in bribes and embezzling 200,000 yuan (24,000 US dollars) of public funds between 1993 and 1997.

He appealed to the higher court shortly after the first trial.

The retired police chief was first put under investigation in May 1998, but disappeared into hiding with his family after an arrest warrant was issued the following month. He became the most wanted man in Liaoning province when police authorities appealed to the public in January 2001 for any information leading to his arrest.

Mao surrendered himself to the police in November 2002.

In addition to the 18-year prison term, the Anshan intermediate court also ruled the remaining 950,000 yuan (115,000 US dollars) of Mao's illegal earnings be recovered.

Mao, born in 1937, had only junior high schooling.