The former deputy chief engineer of China’s disbanded railways ministry has been given a suspended death sentence for corruption, state media report.

Zhang Shuguang was found guilty by a court in Beijing of taking bribes of more than 47m yuan ($7.7m; £4.8m) over 11 years.

The court heard he used his position to help companies secure rail contracts.

He was an associate of Liu Zhijun, the former railways minister who was given a suspended death sentence in 2013.

Many officials of different ranks have been charged in recent months after China’s leader Xi Jinping called for a crack down on corruption.