Former Beihang University Vice-President Sentenced to 12 Years for Bribery

Zhang Guang, who once held the position of vice-president at Beihang University, has been sentenced to a 12-year prison term following a ruling by the Nanchang Intermediate People's Court. In addition to his prison time, he was ordered to pay a fine of 2 million yuan, approximately $272,752, due to his involvement in bribery. The court also determined that Zhang’s illicit income and associated interests would be forfeited and handed over to the national treasury.

The investigation revealed that Zhang exploited his various roles at the university, such as head of the continuing education school, assistant to the president, and vice-president, in order to generate profits for others. For his services, he accepted bribes totaling over 21.2 million yuan from 2008 to 2022. The court stated that Zhang’s conduct amounted to significant bribery, warranting severe punishment given the substantial sums involved.

Despite the gravity of his crimes, the court decided on a lighter sentence due to factors like Zhang's confession, his willingness to disclose additional bribery activities, and his return of the ill-gotten funds. Zhang, 51 years old and originally from Heilongjiang province, had been subjected to a disciplinary investigation since August 2023. He faced expulsion from the Communist Party of China and removal from public office at the start of 2024, and subsequently was indicted on bribery charges four months later, with his case being publicly heard in October.