Wuhan ex-mayor Zhou Xianwang gets 14 years for bribery

A Chinese court sentenced former Wuhan mayor Zhou Xianwang to 14 years in prison on Saturday after finding him guilty of accepting bribes in business deals.

The court in Shangqiu, in central Henan province, said Zhou used official roles, including his post as mayor of Wuhan, for personal gain from 2003 to May 2025. It said he helped entities and individuals with matters including engineering contracts, business operations and administrative approvals.

The court said Zhou accepted money and property worth more than 60.5 million yuan, or $9 million. It also fined him five million yuan.

Zhou was placed under investigation in July last year. His time as mayor of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, coincided with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the city.

He also held other high-level roles, including vice chairman of a provincial committee under China's top political advisory body from 2021 to 2023.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pursued a corruption crackdown within the ruling Communist Party since coming to power more than a decade ago. Supporters say the campaign promotes clean governance, while critics say it can be used to remove political opponents.