Former airline officials stand trial for graft

SHENZHEN -- Two former officials with China Southern Airlines stood trial for suspected bribery in the intermediate people's court of Shenzhen City on Wednesday.

The local procuratorate accused Xu Jiebo, former general accountant and member of the board, of allegedly accepting bribes amounting to 6.9 million yuan (about $1.1 million dollars) and seeking gains for others in construction and airplane renting projects.

Zhou Yuehai, former vice general manager, was also charged with accepting bribes of about 600,000 yuan and seeking gains for others in adding air routes, personnel arrangement and the supply of airline food.

Xu and Zhou both pleaded guilty in court.