Xing Yun, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Inner Mongolia autonomous region, pleaded guilty to bribery during his first trial on Thursday at a court in Dalian, Liaoning province.

Prosecutors said that Xing, 67, had been taking advantage of his positions from 1996 to 2016 to seek benefits for others in job promotions as well as project contracting.

He had accepted properties and gifts either directly or through close relatives equivalent to 449 million yuan ($64 million).

Xing had served as a member of the region's Standing Committee of the Party Committee, head of the region's Commission for Political and Legal Affairs, Party chief of Baotou city and vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the region's people's congress.

Dalian Intermediate People's Court heard the trial, which was attended by about 50 people including legislators, political advisers and journalists. Xing pleaded guilty after a cross-examination.

The court announced an adjournment and will make its ruling at a later date.

Prosecutors officially filed the lawsuit against Xing in June.

Xing was put under investigation in October by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission for "serious violations of Party disciplines and laws".

He was expelled from the Party in April after anti-graft watchdogs found him accepting a huge amount of money and gifts, promoting a large number of officials in a short period and meddling in judicial affairs.

The statement issued by the watchdogs said he seriously violated the Party's code of conduct on organization, undermined the personnel system and the local political ecosystem, and accused him of losing his political convictions.