A former China Communist Youth League official in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region went on trial Tuesday for allegedly taking bribes.

Cao Gang.[File photo]

Cao Gang, 37, was charged with taking 897,400 yuan (131,390 U.S. dollars) in bribes in 13 instances while serving as deputy secretary and secretary of the regional committee of the China Communist Youth League from 2005 to 2008, the People's Procuratorate of Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia, said Tuesday at the city's Intermediate People's Court.

Prosecutors told the court that Cao had sought benefits for others by abusing his official post when he supervised a number of projects, including business training for young people, river protection and book procurement.

Cao claimed in his defense that the money he had taken was gifts from friends or acquaintances and should not be considered as bribes.

Cao was put under investigation by the local discipline inspection authority of the Communist Party of China in June 2009 and detained two months later.

The case was carried over to a later date.