Former vice mayor of Beijing Liu Zhihua will appeal his suspended death sentence for taking bribes, according to his lawyer.

Liu was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by Hengshui Intermediate People's Court in Hebei Province on Saturday.

Liu, 59, was convicted of taking bribes totaling about 6.97 million yuan (1.02 million U.S. dollars) when he was vice mayor of Beijing and director of the management committee of Zhongguancun Science Park from 1999 to 2006, Xinhuanet.com said today.

The court said the bribes were pocketed by Liu and his mistress Wang Jianrui. Liu abused his power to get contract projects, loans and offer promotions for others in exchange for profits.

Liu's lawyer Mo Shaoping said Liu will appeal because he thought the facts would exonerate him, according to the report.

"For example, the sum offered by others to his son studying abroad had nothing to do with Liu as he didn't learn about until later. So it should not have been recognized as a crime," the lawyer told Xinhuanet.

Besides, the defendant had confessed and provided tips to authorities in 2006 when he was put under double designation, a special investigative procedure of the Communist Party of China.

It means a Party member or official is ordered to explain or confess his or her involvement in a disciplinary violation or corruption case within a "designated" period of time and at a "designated" place.

"Such deeds should be regarded as surrendering and meritorious service, which the court should take into serious consideration," Mo added.

Liu was removed from the vice mayor's post in June 2006 and expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) six months later.

(Shanghai Daily October 23, 2008)