BEIJING, July 17 -- Wang Suyi, a former senior official from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for accepting bribes, a local court in Beijing announced on Thursday.

Wang was also deprived of political rights for life and all his property has been confiscated, according to the court ruling by Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court.

Wang was a member of the Standing Committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and head of the United Front Work Department of the regional Party committee.

The court found that Wang had accepted bribes worth more than 10.73 million yuan (1.73 million U.S. dollars) on various occasions.

In return, he took advantage of his posts and offered business opportunities or promotions to nine companies and individuals, including a local real estate development company and Li Shigui, a former official of the region's Bayannur municipal government, between 2005 and 2013.

All of Wang's illegal gains have been recovered, the court said.

Thursday's sentencing was open to the public and media.

Wang was expelled from the CPC and dismissed from public office for severe disciplinary violations in September.