GUIYANG, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Qiao Hong, former general manager of Shanghai-listed Kweichow Moutai Co. Ltd, maker of China's famous Moutai liquor, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve after being convicted on corruption charges Friday.

    The sentence at Zunyi Municipal Intermediate People's Court in Zunyi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, also deprived Qiao of his political rights for life and ordered the confiscation of his property.

    Qiao, 56, was charged with taking bribes and being unable to account for his assets.

    The court heard that Qiao accepted more than 100 bribes totaling 13 million yuan (1.9 million U.S. dollars) from 2000 to 2007, when he was general manager of the company. In addition, he and his brother Qiao Jianhua took other bribes worth 2.18 million yuan.

    Qiao could not explain the sources of 8.2 million yuan of his property, the court heard.

    A spokesman with the court said the sentence showed leniency, taking into consideration that Qiao was cooperative in the investigation and he surrendered his illegal earnings.

    Qiao's brother, Qiao Jianhua, was sentenced to 11 years in jail with a fine of 500,000 yuan at the same trial.

    Kweichow Moutai is a listed arm of the state-owned Moutai Group. Qiao was appointed general manager of Kweichow Moutai in August 2000. He had previously served as deputy director of the Guizhou Provincial Bureau of Light Industry.

    He was put under investigation for bribery in May 2007.

    Caijing magazine reported on Dec. 30, 2009, that Qiao was alleged to have taken bribes from dealers and advertising companies. He was also suspected of taking bribes from sponsors during the 2002 World Cup in the Republic of Korea, and arranging a trip to the World Cup for outstanding salespeople.

    The report said Qiao had 14 properties to his name, but his home provided by the light industry bureau was modest.

    Kweichow Moutai has not been affected by the corruption case. Stocks of Kweichow Moutai Co. gained 0.79 percent to hit 169.87 yuan on Friday. The company's 2008 sales revenue reached 8.2 billion yuan, 13.88 percent up from 2007.

    The company has been scaling up production over recent years. The company's liquor production surpassed 20,000 tonnes last year, 2,000 tonnes more than that in 2006.

    Unlike other Chinese liquors, Moutai is aged for five years before being sold.