The Higher People's Court of Shaanxi Province has upheld a 17-year jail term for a former publicity official in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality who is convicted of bribery and abuse of power.

Zhang Xiaochuan, 59, had appealed to the higher court after he was given the prison term by an intermediate court in July.

Court investigation shows that Zhang Xiaochuan, together with his younger brother Zhang Tiansheng, took bribes worth 530,000 yuan (65,000 US dollars) and 57,000 US dollars between 1998 and 2003.

Zhang, former deputy publicity chief of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and director of the city's radio and TV bureau, was also found in possession of 608,000 yuan (75,000 US dollars), 27,000 US dollars and 15,000 Hong Kong dollars for which he could not give a legitimate source.

Besides, the court found Zhang's abuse of power as president of the Chongqing Cable TV Network Transmission Co. incurred huge losses to the company, including the loss of its 49-percent state shares.

The court has ordered confiscation of all Zhang's illicit income and 50,000 yuan (6,165 US dollars) of his property.

Source: Xinhua