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(Fox News) - You've been hearing for years about the Chinese ripping off things like music, books and American movies.

Now it turns out one Chinese official even plagiarized the letter of apology that he read during his corruption trial. Zhang Shaocang wept as he read his four-page statement, which said he had initially been dedicated to his work but lost his way.

It turns out the letter featured whole sentences copied word-for-word from a printed apology two weeks earlier by another disgraced Chinese official. An official state newspaper says Zhang was trying to get leniency from the court — but his stolen statement was dismissed as "showboating."