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Zhou Xianwang sentenced to 14 years in prison for bribery
Zhou Xianwang, the former mayor of Wuhan during the initial COVID-19 outbreak, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for bribery. The verdict was issued by the Shangqiu Intermediate People’s Court in Henan province.
Authorities found that between 2003 and 2025, Zhou leveraged various official positions in Hubei province to assist individuals and organizations with engineering contracts, business operations, and administrative approvals. In exchange, he accepted bribes and property totaling more than 60.5 million yuan (approximately $9 million).
In addition to the prison term, Zhou was ordered to pay a fine of 5 million yuan. The court noted that the sentence was mitigated because Zhou confessed to his crimes, expressed remorse, returned illicit gains, and provided information regarding other bribery cases that investigators had not previously identified.
Zhou’s tenure as mayor was marked by significant controversy regarding the city’s early response to the pandemic. In February 2020, he stated that the local government had delayed releasing information about the outbreak because they required authorization from higher authorities.
Entities
China · Hubei · Hubei Province · Shangqiu Intermediate People's Court · Shangqiu Intermediate People’s Court · Wuhan · Xi Jinping · Zhou Xianwang
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 19 SOURCES] Zhou was fined 5 million yuan. www.epochtimes.com · www.senenews.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.imaeil.com · mymotherlode.com · +14 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] Zhou used his official positions between 2003 and 2025 to assist entities with contracts and business operations. www.epochtimes.com · www.senenews.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.imaeil.com · mymotherlode.com · +14 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] Zhou Xianwang accepted bribes totaling more than 60.5 million yuan. www.epochtimes.com · www.senenews.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.imaeil.com · mymotherlode.com · +14 more
- [● 18 SOURCES] The court granted a reduced sentence because Zhou confessed and cooperated with authorities. www.epochtimes.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.imaeil.com · mymotherlode.com · diariocorreo.pe · +13 more
- [● 18 SOURCES] In 2020, Zhou suggested that local governments required central authorization to disclose information regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. www.epochtimes.com · www.independent.co.uk · mymotherlode.com · diariocorreo.pe · elnuevodiario.com.do · +13 more