The former boss of China’s biggest shipbuilder who is on trial for corruption charges told a Shanghai court yesterday that he had devoted his life to his country.

Gu Tiquan, former chairman of government-owned military and civilian shipbuilder Shanghai Hudong-Zhonghua (Group) Co, is accused of taking bribes totaling 5.73 million yuan (US$932,000) over 15 years.

At the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court, Gu denied the charges.

Gu, 55, told the court that due to his line of work, he signed a military confidential agreement that lasted 20 years.

Such agreements place restrictions on overseas travel and relationships, and Gu said he did not marry until 40.

Gu told the court that he had devoted his life to his country.

He claimed that the payments were profits from a private company he was involved in, plus real estate sales income.

Gu, who was also former deputy Party secretary for the Shanghai Hudong-Zhonghua, said he set up his own trading company — originally called Quanhao — in the 1990s.

"I started a company myself only to leave myself with a choice for the future," Gu told the court.

Gu founded Quanhao with Shu Fanghao, former assistant general manager of the Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing Shipbuilding Co Ltd and a third man, surnamed Jiao.

Before heading the Shanghai Hudong-Zhonghua, Gu was chairman of the government-owned Jiangnan Group.

Prosecutors said that from 1998, Gu and Shu — who is also charged with graft — got their company supplier contracts with the Shanghai Hudong-Zhonghua and Jiangnan Group.

According to prosecutors, Gu and Shu received graft payments from their own private company for the contracts.

Jiao, manager of their private enterprise, paid Gu 5.34 million yuan, while Shu received 2.39 million yuan, claimed prosecutors.

They also received cash for travel expenses, said the indictment.

Prosecutor also claimed Gu took another 400,000 yuan bribe from an unnamed company over a real estate project.

But Gu said the money paid to him by his own company was company profits and benefits, while the 400,000 yuan from the other company was a profit from a sale.

The Shanghai commission of the Party’s discipline inspection commission has been investigating Gu since May.

The trial continues at a later date.