Bai Enpei given suspended death sentence for amassing millions in bribes and will have no chance of parole under changes to the criminal code</s>Bai Enpei, 70, abused his posts, including as party chief in Yunnan until 2011 and earlier as the top official in the western province of Qinghai, illegally amassing more than 247 million yuan ($37 million) in assets, a court said.

"The amount of bribes Bai Enpei accepted was huge, the details of his crimes extremely serious, and their social impact especially pernicious," the Anyang city intermediate court in the central province of Henan said on its official microblog.

The court decided on the death sentence with reprieve, which typically amounts to life in prison, because Bai had admitted to his crimes and expressed regret, and because the illicit assets were recovered in full, it said.

Bai went on trial in June, but the court statement gave few other details of his case. He could not be reached for comment.

Courts are controlled by the party and do not challenge party accusations, especially in corruption cases.

China is in the midst of a crackdown on graft launched by Xi after he assumed power almost four years ago, warning the problem was so serious it threatened the party's survival.

Dozens of senior officials have been jailed in the campaign, including former domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang.</s>BEIJING (AP) — A former Chinese provincial Communist Party boss has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve as part of the country’s ongoing crackdown on corruption at all levels.

The Anyang City Intermediate People’s Court in Henan Province said Sunday that Bai Enpei was found guilty of taking “a huge amount of bribes” and possessing a large amount of income from unidentified sources.

Bai had been a senior lawmaker with the national legislature and formerly served as the top ranking official in the western provinces of Qinghai and Yunnan.

Suspended death sentences are usually reverted to life imprisonment after two years with good behavior.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to end corruption and government waste, although critics have accused him of using the campaign to attack political rivals.</s>BEIJING — A former Chinese provincial Communist Party boss was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve Sunday as part of the country's ongoing crackdown on corruption at all levels.

The Anyang City Intermediate People's Court in Henan Province said Bai Enpei was found guilty of taking "a huge amount of bribes" and possessing a large amount of income from unidentified sources.

Bai had been a senior lawmaker with the national legislature and formerly served as the top-ranking official in the western provinces of Qinghai and Yunnan. His entire personal assets were also confiscated and he was barred from ever again holding office.

Suspended death sentences are usually reverted to life imprisonment after two years with good .

Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to end corruption and government waste, although critics have accused him of using the campaign to attack political rivals.

Thousands of officeholders have been investigated as part of the campaign, and some Chinese have complained that the drive has resulted in bureaucratic paralysis as officials refuse to perform certain standard tasks out of fear of being accused of bribe-taking.
A court sentences former Communist Party Secretary of Yunnan province, Bai Enpei, to death for corruption and amassing wealth of unclear origin.