Former Wuhan mayor Zhou Xianwang has been sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined 5 million yuan (approximately 10억원) for accepting bribes totaling 60.5 million yuan (about 120억8천만원). Henan Province’s Shangqiu Intermediate People’s Court handed down the 1st-instance verdict on December 10, according to state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) and reporting by nocutnews.co.kr.
Court Sentences Former Mayor to 14 Years Over 60 Million Yuan in Bribes
Judicial authorities determined that Zhou abused his administrative powers between 2003 and May 2025 to secure construction contracts, corporate management approvals, and administrative permits for favored individuals and organizations. In exchange, he accepted massive monetary and material kickbacks. The court stated that while the total bribe amount is exceptionally large, Zhou received a lighter sentence because he voluntarily confessed to most of the criminal acts unknown to investigators and actively returned his illicit gains.
Alongside the 14-year prison term and the 5 million yuan fine, the court ordered the continued confiscation of any remaining unrecovered illicit proceeds. Zhou’s legal troubles culminated in January when an official investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission stripped him of his Chinese Communist Party membership and dismissed him from public office.
Pandemic Handling and Career Timeline
Zhou served as the mayor of Wuhan from 2018 to 2021, thrusting him into global headlines during the emergence of COVID-19. Public criticism mounted against his administration in January 2020 when authorities permitted a massive Lunar New Year banquet attended by roughly 40,000 households to proceed despite rapid viral transmission across the city. Amid mounting public pressure and calls for his resignation, Zhou acknowledged shortcomings in the city’s epidemic response and expressed a willingness to assume responsibility.
Despite the backlash, Zhou remained in office before transferring in January 2021 to a role as vice chairman of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. He held that regional political advisory post until 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Zhou Xianwang sentenced?
The Shangqiu Intermediate People’s Court delivered the 1st-instance verdict on December 10, sentencing Zhou to 14 years in prison.
How much money was involved in the bribery charges?
Prosecutors established that Zhou accepted a total of 60.5 million yuan in bribes through his abuse of official authority over a two-decade period.
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