Former vice-education minister sentenced to 15 years for bribery

Du Yubo, a former vice-minister of education, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Wednesday for taking more than 67 million yuan ($9.46 million) in bribes, a court in Shanxi province said.

The Linfen Intermediate People's Court also imposed a fine of 6 million yuan and ordered the confiscation of Du's illicit gains and related interest.

According to the ruling, from 2000 to August 2024, Du used his positions — including as vice-president of Beijing Institute of Technology and vice-minister of education — to help others in matters such as establishing private colleges, securing project contracts, and arranging enrollment and employment for their children. In return, he accepted bribes worth more than 67.93 million yuan.

The court said Du's conduct constituted the crime of bribery and that the amount involved was "extremely large," warranting severe punishment. But it granted leniency because he voluntarily reported bribes previously unknown to investigators, confessed to the crime, and actively returned the illegal gains.

Du, 70, a native of Hebei province, began working in 1974 and joined the Communist Party of China in 1975. He spent decades in China's education system and became vice-minister of education in 2010.

From 2018 to 2023, he served as deputy head of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the 13th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

He was placed under investigation in September 2024 for suspected serious violations of Party discipline and national laws. In March this year, he was expelled from the Party. Three months later, he was indicted on the bribery charge.

More than 30 people, including national legislators and political advisers, attended his hearing in August.