CHONGQING - Beijing lawyer Li Zhuang stood trial on Tuesday in a court in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality on additional charges of falsifying evidence and jeopardizing testimony.

Li, 49, a lawyer with the Beijing Kangda Law Firm, was charged with instructing Xu Lijun, a witness in his client Meng Ying's trial, to give false testimony in court during an embezzlement trial, prosecutors said.

Previously Li received a one and a half year sentence for giving false evidence and encouraging others to give false evidence in an organized crime gang trial in 2010 in Chongqing.

According to prosecutors, in June 2008, Li's client Meng Ying, the legal representative of Shanghai Jintangcheng Bath Co Ltd, was charged with embezzlement of 500,000 yuan ($76,552) from Xu Lijun's 1-million-yuan investment in the company to repay personal loan.

In July 2008, Li allegedly enticed Xu Lijun to falsely tell the court that the fund was a personal loan to Meng, as a way to help Xu recover her investment money. Later, on July 30, 2008, Xu gave Li's suggested false testimony in court.

Li expressed disagreement with the charges in court, saying that what Xu said was her own decision and he had not interfered with Xu's decision.

The prosecutors then showed evidence indicating Li's enticing and abetting behavior.

Tuesday's trial lasted until 9 pm and will continue on Wednesday.

- Xinhua

(China Daily 04/21/2011 page3)