BEIJING - Han Xuejian, formerly Party chief of Daqing city in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province and a member of the standing committee of the Party's provincial committee, on Wednesday was sentenced to 12 years and six months in jail for taking bribes.

Liaoyuan City Intermediate People's Court in neighboring Jilin province seized Han's personal assets of one million yuan ($145,444). All money and material he received as bribes and ensuing interest were confiscated and turned over to the state treasury.

According to the court, Han accepted bribes worth 16.9 million yuan either personally or through others from 1998 to 2014 and took advantage of his various posts to seek benefits for others.

The court held that the verdict was reached with the consideration that Han's penalties should be mitigated in accordance with the law, since he willingly confessed to his crimes, offered facts yet unknown to law enforcers, expressed remorse and helped recover all illicit gains.