A former official of Shenzhen Statistical Information Bureau stood on trial on Thursday for taking bribes totaling more than 1 million yuan (about 142,900 US dollars).

Zhou Li was accused of taking bribes from Shenzhen Liming Networks Systems Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Kejian Group Co., Ltd. from 1995 to 2003, according to the intermediate people's court of Shenzhen City.

Zhou gave the two companies preferential treatment by taking advantage of his position in exchange for money, the court heard.

In 1997 and 1998, Zhou made two trips to New Zealand to visit his wife and son under the pretence of "inspection". He was paid in total 90,000 US dollars from the two companies for both trips.

In 2003, Zhou bought a condo in Shenzhen under the name of his ex-wife and daughter. A man from the Liming Networks Systems Co., Ltd. got Zhou's hint and paid 530,000 yuan for the condo, the court was told Zhou pleaded guilty at the court.

(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2008)