China formally accuses former senior official responsible for Taiwan affairs of bribery

An official responsible for Taiwan affairs may soon face a trial. China's state prosecutor on Friday, 30 December, formally accused Gong Qinggai, a former deputy chief of China's Taiwan Affairs Office of abusing his power and accepting bribes.

The state prosecutor said Gong, who is one of many officials targeted in an ongoing crackdown on corruption led by President Xi Jinping, abused his power to "seek benefits for others."

President Xi, who launched the sweeping campaign against graft since he took the office in November 2012, vowed to go after powerful "tigers" as well as lowly "flies" through his programme.

Dozens of senior officials have been jailed since then as Xi believed the problem is so severe it could affect the party's grip on power.

A statement released by the prosecution office also said that Gong carried out his alleged crimes while holding various government positions in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian, which lies just across the narrow channel that separates China and Taiwan.

Gong has not responded to the allegations. It remains unclear whether he can retain a lawyer for the case. In China, the legal system is controlled by the party, which might not allow him to challenge the accusations, reports Reuters.

Before joining the China's Taiwan Affairs Office in 2013, Gong had spent his entire working career with the Fujian government, his official biography said.

The 57-year-old Gong was initially put under investigation by the ruling Communist Party in January for "serious disciplinary violations", but the probe took time because Beijing has a bitter relationship with Taiwan.

China considers Taiwan as its own territory and has said it would not hesitate to use force, if necessary, to prove its point.