Updated

Former Chinese political high-flyer Sun Zhengcai is standing trial for bribery in eastern China, making him one of the highest-level officials to be prosecuted in President Xi Jinping's sweeping anti-corruption campaign.

The No. 1 Intermediate People's Court in the city of Tianjin said on its official page on the social media site Weibo.com that Sun's trial opened Thursday.

Until his downfall, Sun had been the Communist Party leader of the western megacity of Chongqing and a member of the party's elite 25-member Politburo.

Prosecutors have accused Sun of using his position to seek profits for others and illegally accepting enormous amounts of money and property.

In the case against Sun, the indictment focused on bribery, but leaders have made it clear his alleged offenses were largely political in nature.