A former senior legislator in northeast China's Liaoning Province was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for taking bribes at a Beijing court Sunday.

The Second Intermediate People's Court of Beijing sentenced Song Yong, former vice chairman of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee, in a first-instance trial.

Song, 56, abused his position when working in local government and the provincial legislature from 2000 to 2009.

He helped 23 individuals and units receive government contracts, loans and promotions in return for 10.2 million yuan (1.6 million U.S.dollars).

The court said Song's offenses were "particularly serious."

Song's ill-gotten were confiscated.

The death sentence was suspended for two years because Song confessed to his crimes -- including some unknown to investigators -- and handed in his illegal gains and furnished information concerning others' disciplinary violations.

It was not immediately known if Song will appeal his sentence.