Two Former Chinese Defence Ministers Sentenced to Death in Corruption Case

Two former Chinese defence ministers have been handed death sentences with a two-year suspension for corruption charges, according to state media. On Thursday (07/05), a Chinese military court imposed death penalties on Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu with a two-year reprieve. This means their death sentences will be commuted to life imprisonment after two years, without the possibility of sentence reduction or parole, as reported by the Xinhua news agency. In addition, the court ordered the confiscation of all their personal assets. Both men were found guilty of accepting bribes. The announcement follows the removal of several senior military figures in China amid a crackdown on corrupt officials. Wei Fenghe served as defence minister from 2018 to 2023. He was replaced by Li Shangfu in March 2023. Li’s tenure as defence minister was much shorter. He was dismissed in October 2023, two months after suddenly disappearing from public life, which sparked speculation about his removal. The Reuters news agency quoted Xinhua reports stating that Li was suspected of receiving a “large amount of money” in bribes and bribing others. The report added that the investigation found he “failed to fulfil political responsibilities” and “sought personal gain for himself and others”. Meanwhile, an investigation launched against Wei in 2023 found that he also accepted “a large amount of money and valuables” as bribes and “helped others gain improper benefits in personnel arrangements”. In February, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a crackdown within the military. Recently, one of the country’s highest-ranking military generals, Zhang Youxia, was removed from his position. Xi stated at the time that the military had undergone “revolutionary forging in the fight against corruption”. Since taking power, President Xi has launched waves of anti-corruption campaigns, which critics say are also used as tools to eliminate political opponents. Since taking office as president in 2013, Xi Jinping has institutionalised an anti-corruption campaign, which has also been used to sideline political rivals. In September 2025, Tang Renjian, former Chinese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, was sentenced to death for a bribery case. Tang received bribes, including cash and property worth more than 268 million yuan (Rp627.3 billion) in various positions he held from 2007 to 2024, according to a report by the state news agency Xinhua. The court in Changchun, Jilin Province, suspended his death sentence for two years, noting that the individual had confessed to his crimes. General Zhang Yang, a member of the Chinese Central Military Commission, was investigated in connection with two senior military officers who had been expelled from the party for corruption cases. At the Communist Party of China Congress in October, President Xi Jinping vowed to intensify anti-corruption efforts, which have ensnared 1.5 million party officials—including high-ranking military officers—since being launched in 2012. The official Xinhua news agency reported that General Zhang, aged 66, was found dead by hanging at his home on 23 November 2017.