Beijing (CNN) Sun Zhengcai, a former top Chinese Communist Party official once considered a potential successor to President Xi Jinping, has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of taking bribes. Sun, a former Communist party chief of the sprawling Chongqing municipality, told a court in northern China Tuesday that he will accept the ruling and would not appeal it, according to state media. "I sincerely admit my guilt and regret my crime," Sun was seen telling the First Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin on national broadcaster CCTV. "I will seriously reform myself," he said and bowed. Last month , Sun admitted to accepting more than 170 million yuan ($27 million) between 2002 and 2017, in both property and cash, when he held various posts across China.

Source: CNN May 08, 2018 02:38 UTC