A former senior official in Guizhou province was sentenced to 16 years in prison after he was convicted of taking bribes and abusing power by a court in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on Thursday.

Liao Shaohua, the former Party chief of Zunyi who was once known for his stern stance toward corrupt officials at the local level, has been found by the Xi'an Intermediate People's Court to have taken bribes worth 13.2 million yuan ($2.12 million) from at least six businessmen during tenures in the city of Liupanshui and the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture.

He was also found to have misused his power while Party chief of the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture, which led to the loss of more than 3.1 million yuan in State finances.