A Chinese court has sentenced Liu Handong, former deputy head of the party group of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Jiangsu Province, to death for bribery. He had embezzled 245 million yuan ($34 million), reports China Central Television.

Liu Handong's sentence,  however, was suspended for two years.

He was deprived of his political rights for life, and his illegally acquired property was confiscated for the benefit of the state.

After the two-year term, the sentence will be replaced by life imprisonment if the convict does not commit other crimes during this period.

From 1999 to 2023, Liu Handong held various positions in eastern China's Jiangsu province and its capital, Nanjing.

In exchange for bribes, he had provided services to third parties in matters of land ownership, business management, taxation, and career advancement.

The former official's actions "caused significant damage to the interests of the state and the people," the aforesaid court said in its ruling.