China's energy authorities are highlighting the harmfulness of corruption and are asking officials to learn from previous cases, as the nation's former industry czar was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison for bribery.

Liu Tienan, 60, former vice-minister of the National Development and Reform Commission and former chief of the National Energy Administration, took bribes worth about 35.5 million yuan ($5.8 million), the Langfang Intermediate People's Court in Hebei province found.

All of Liu's property was confiscated under the court judgment.

His case came to light after residents reported information via the Internet about possible graft, and Liu was the first ministerial-level official to face an investigation after Xi Jinping became the Party head in late 2012.

Liu's use of his position to accept bribes from 2002 to 2012 tarnished the image of government officials, the court said. He was arrested on Aug 8, 2013, and stood trial on Sept 24.

Li Fabao, Liu's lawyer, said after the judgment that he accepted the result, but added that no decision had been made on whether to appeal.

"The amount of bribery that my client took was huge, so it is reasonable to sentence him to life imprisonment," Li said.

"When I met Liu on Monday, he told me he would accept any punishment given by the court. He acknowledged that his behavior hurt the country, and he also regretted abusing his power," he said.

Liu said previously: "When I woke up in the morning (after being detained), I asked myself where I was and how I could be degraded like this? It felt like having my soul whipped when I was interrogated."

Trouble for Liu Tienan began when Luo Changping, deputy editor-in-chief of the investigative magazine Caijing, posted whistleblowing allegations on his micro blog.

In his blogs, Luo accused Liu, then head of the National Energy Administration, of falsifying his academic qualifications, obtaining fraudulent loans and threatening his alleged mistress.

Luo's report triggered heated discussion about Liu online, and attracted the attention of authorities.

Liu and his son

In the judgment announced on Wednesday, the court alleged that some of Liu's bribes were received through his son, Liu Decheng.

According to the verdict, Liu took advantage of his position by helping Nanshan Group bid for energy projects and build automobile 4S shops - businesses that supply a range of services to car owners. He, and possibly his son, then accepted bribes from the company.

The son's case is being handled separately.

In its anti-graft campaign since the new Chinese leadership came to power about two years ago, more than 40 officials at minister level or above have been jailed or put under investigation.

The energy sector, one of the biggest and most profitable industries in China, has been a focus of the anti-corruption campaign.

Wang Xixin, an administrative law professor at Peking University, said there are strong connections between energy interests and administrative power, which can easily lead to graft.

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 12/11/2014 page1)