A Communist Party official in east China's Jiangxi Province went on trial in the Intermediate People's Court in Jingdezhen City on Thursday for allegedly accepting bribes of 6.52 million yuan (US$843,000).

Zhang Peichang, former deputy secretary of the Communist Party Committee in Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, stands accused of taking bribes from 11 individuals and eight work units including China Railway No. 14 Co. Ltd, when he served as deputy party chief and vice mayor of Ganzhou, and chief director of a provincial expressway project from 2001 to 2006.

Zhang allegedly accepted cash bribes of 2.5 million yuan, US$117,000, and 420,000 HK dollars, as well as two luxury watches, a gold bar and an apartment worth 1.34 million yuan. In return for the bribes, Zhang helped the givers win construction project bids.

Zhang was born in March 1956. He was arrested by police in August last year.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2007)