JINAN - A former senior provincial official in East China's Shandong province was given a suspended death sentence on Friday for bribery.

Liaocheng Municipal Intermediate People's Court sentenced Zhang Zezhong, former deputy secretary general of Shandong provincial government, to death with a two-year reprieve after convicting him of accepting bribes totalling 17 million yuan ($2.8 million) between 2000 and 2012, personally or jointly with his sister Zhang Aixia.

Zhang sought interests for others in work arrangements, construction projects or loans, said the court. All his personal property was confiscated.

The court also sentenced Zhang Aixia to 12 years in jail and fined her 500,000 yuan.