Two former senior officials in charge of the coal mine industry of northeast China's Jilin Province were jailed for taking bribes.

Wang Guojun, former deputy director with the provincial coal mine safety supervision bureau, received 14 years for taking bribes worth more than 331,000 U.S. dollars from 1997 to August 2007, taking advantage of his position.

Li Xiang, former deputy director of the provincial bureau of coal mine industry, received 10 years for accepting bribes worth nearly 93,000 U.S. dollars from individuals and companies, granting business convenience and illegal benefits in return.

The sentences were handed down by the Intermediate People's Court of Songyuan City late last month and made public at a conference of the provincial coal mine industry bureau Tuesday.

Figures from the bureau show that 179 officials in the Jilin's coal mine industry were punished for violations of discipline last year, and 860,000 yuan (121,761 U.S. dollars) obtained via illegal means was recovered.

(Xinhua News Agency March 20, 2008)