Xi's anti-corruption crackdown sentences former Chinese defense ministers to death

Two former Chinese defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have received death sentences with a two-year reprieve for corruption convictions by China's military court on May 7. Wei was found guilty of accepting bribes, while Li was convicted of both accepting and offering bribes. Both men, who previously held high-ranking positions including leading the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force, were also stripped of their political rights for life and ordered to forfeit all property. This severe punishment highlights President Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-corruption campaign within the armed forces. Under Chinese law, the suspended death sentences are expected to be commuted to life imprisonment without parole after the reprieve period.

China's official military newspaper, PLA Daily, stated that the severe sentences given to former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu demonstrate Beijing's intolerance for disloyalty. Both men received suspended death sentences, the harshest penalties for senior PLA leaders since 2012, after being convicted of corruption. This marks the first official accusation of disloyalty against Li Shangfu. The sentences, which will be commuted to life imprisonment after two years, underscore the party's demand for absolute allegiance from its military leaders. The state media emphasized that individuals in positions of power must not harbor divided loyalties.

China has sentenced two former defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption. A military court delivered the sentences on Thursday, with the reprieve meaning their sentences will likely be commuted to life imprisonment without parole after two years. Both men were found guilty of bribery, and their assets were confiscated. This development is part of a broader anti-corruption crackdown within the country's military, which has seen several high-ranking officials removed. Wei served as defense minister from 2018 to 2023, succeeded by Li, whose tenure ended abruptly in October 2023. President Xi Jinping has publicly acknowledged the ongoing military crackdown.

Two former Chinese defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have been handed suspended death sentences for corruption. A military court found Wei guilty of accepting bribes, while Li was convicted of both accepting and offering bribes. Both sentences include a two-year reprieve, lifelong deprivation of political rights, and confiscation of all personal property. The convictions were reported by Xinhua late on Thursday afternoon, though specific bribe amounts were not disclosed. The sentences mark a significant development concerning high-ranking former officials within China's defense establishment.