China sentences former defence ministers to death for corruption

The Chinese government, under Premier Xi Jinping, has sentenced two former top officers to death over corruption charges.

Former Chinese defence ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were both sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges.

This is a type of sentence often used by Chinese courts in high-profile corruption cases, in which the death penalty is suspended and commuted to life imprisonment if no other crimes are committed during the reprieve period.

In this case, the former defence ministers have a two-year reprieve period.

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Reuters, quoting Xinhua, a state-owned Chinese media, reported that Mr Li was suspected of receiving “huge sums of money” in bribes while also bribing others.

An investigation which began in 2023 also found him performing his “political responsibilities” and seeking “personnel benefits for himself and others”.

“As a senior leading cadre of the party and the army, Li Shangfu betrayed his original mission … betrayed the trust of the Party Central Committee and Central Military Commission… and caused great damage to the party cause and national defence,” the report documenting the findings read, according to Reuters.

Mr Wei, on the other hand, was accused of accepting bribes in “money and valuables” and also allegedly “helped others gain improper benefits in personnel arrangements.

His actions were described as “extremely serious in nature, with a highly detrimental impact ⁠and tremendous harm.”

The military has always been at the centre of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign. Since assuming power in 2012, he has led investigations, presided over sentencing, and dismissed several senior military officers.

Over the years, different officials were investigated, removed, jailed, or punished for taking bribes and abusing power.

This crackdown later reached the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, a force controlling China’s nuclear missiles and other long-range weapons, resulting in the arrest of a top general in the People’s Liberation Army, Zhang Youxia. Mr Youxia was a Politburo member and was once considered an ally of Mr Jinping.

It appears the two former defence ministers are the latest to be caught up and sentenced for corruption-related crimes in what has been described as an escalation of the campaign.