Xing Yun, a former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for taking bribes worth 449 million yuan ($63.7 million).

Liaoning province's Dalian Intermediate People's Court issued the verdict on Tuesday, saying that he shall be sentenced to life imprisonment at the expiration of the reprieve, and he shall not be allowed to commute the sentence or be granted parole. The money involved will be turned over to the State treasury.

Xing said in court he would not appeal.