A Hong Kong court sentences former HKUST professor Liu Hongbin to 20 weeks’ imprisonment for bribery related to a student admissions case. According to reports, Liu accepted HK$40,000 to help secure the admission of a mainland Chinese student to the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The court also finds that Liu offered “red packets” to two colleagues in connection with efforts to support the student’s admission to a postgraduate programme. Sources describe Liu as a chair professor at HKUST at the time of the conduct, and as having used his authority in the Department of Ocean Science. The sentencing is delivered by the court on Thursday, with coverage noting that the conduct involved an admission outcome for a student described as unqualified for the programme. The reports characterize the case as one involving misuse of official influence in an admissions process, culminating in a custodial sentence of 20 weeks.