China's 'beautiful governor' jailed over affairs with her staff, corruption

A female official from south-west China - nicknamed "the beautiful governor" for her looks - was sentenced to 13 years in prison and fined one million yuan (S$183,000) over misconduct.

- Gabrielle Andres

Zhong Yang, 52, was accused of having sexual relations with 58 male subordinates and accepting nearly 60 million yuan in bribes, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

She formerly served as the governor and deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Qiannan prefecture, in Guizhou province. She majored in history in university and joined the party in 1994.

Zhong became known for starting a fruit and agriculture association aimed at helping farmers, as well as spending her own money to support the elderly in need, SCMP said.

However, in January, a documentary produced by Guizhou Radio and Television uncovered controversies involving Zhong.