A former senior coal mine safety official in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality went on trial Tuesday on charges of corruption and covering up mine accidents.

Wang Xiping, former deputy chief of Chongqing Coal Mine Safety Supervision Bureau, was charged for taking bribes worth 13.34 million yuan (1.96 million U.S. dollars) from 2000 to 2009.

The trial was held at Chongqing's No. 5 Intermediate People's Court, which issued a statement on the proceedings after Tuesday's hearing.

Wang is alleged to have protected mine owners by helping to cover up accidents, illegally provided safety certificates and helped safety evaluation agencies acquire contracts, extorted company shares from mine owners, and forced mine owners to buy homes from him at above-market values while he was in office.

Also charged at the same trial with taking bribes were former head of the equipment department of the bureau Wu Jungen, former deputy captain of the crime squad of Chongqing Public Security Bureau Chen Hongqiang, and Lin Hua, an official of Nanping Private Vehicle Leasing Company.

A court spokesman said the trial would resume at a later date.