XIAMEN - A court in the coastal Xiamen city sentenced Zhang Jiameng, former vice-chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee in eastern China, to life imprisonment on Tuesday for accepting bribes.

The Xiamen Municipal Intermediate People's Court in Fujian province also ordered all Zhang's personal assets confiscated and stripped him of his political rights.

Zhang, 55, was found guilty of taking 7.35 million yuan ($1.16 million) in bribes between 1996 and 2007 when serving as vice-mayor, mayor and party chief of the city of Zhoushan, Zhejiang province.

In return, Zhang secured undue benefits for five companies and individuals in their business operations, land acquisitions and criminal charge evasions, the court said.

All illicit money has been recovered.

The verdict said Zhang was given a lighter sentence because he confessed to his crimes and returned the illegal earnings.

Zhang's trial commenced earlier this month, and it is not known whether he will appeal.