In one of the more high profile litigations since Chinese President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign started, a former senior official on Wednesday pleaded guilty to bribery charges even as he called for reforms to dilute powers granted to government officials.

Liu Tienan, 59, former National Energy Administration chief and senior executive at the National Development Reform Commission (NDRC), admitted he accepted bribes worth 35.58 million yuan (US$5.7 million) from China's top players in exchange for approving projects.

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According to the testimony heard by the Langfang Intermediate People's Court in Hebei province, Liu, with the help of his son Liu Decheng, helped ease deals on transactions including the sale of some 30,000 tons of aluminum to Nanshan Group.

As payment, Liu and his son received cash from Nanshan Group's chairman Song Zuowen amounting to 7.5 million yuan (US$1.2 million).

Liu's son also received real estate in northern Beijing and a Porsche from Zhejiang Hengyi Group president Qiu Jianlin for his assistance in facilitating NDRC approval for a project in 2006, prosecutors said.

The former NDRC director was aware of gifts his son received which are estimated to have cost around 15.49 million yuan (US$2.5 million).

Later, Liu said a major concern should be to give the market more leeway to make decisions, adding that a more market-focused economy would lessen the power of administrators like him, thereby helping curb corruption in China.

X.L. Ding, a Hong Kong University of Science and Technology social sciences professor called the move a "very clever self-defense."

Liu isn't a victim of temptation and he shouldn't be seen as one, Ding warned, noting that Liu was one of China's most powerful bureaucrats.

The prosecution has praised Liu for admitting his fault, cooperating with investigators and returning a portion of the bribes he accepted.

It is unclear how Liu's cooperation will affect the court's decision. Politicized litigations in Beijing rarely end in not-guilty verdicts and bribery charges are usually given life sentences.

TagsAnti-corruption, Liu Tienan, Liu Decheng, NDRC, bribery charges, politicized litigation