China sentences former minister to d£ath for corruption
China’s former agriculture minister, Tang Renjian, has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve after being found guilty of massive corruption, a court announced on Sunday.
According to a statement from the People’s Court of Changchun in northeast Jilin province, Tang accepted cash and property bribes worth more than 268 million yuan ($38 million) between 2007 and 2024.
The court ruled that Tang’s actions “caused particularly severe losses to the interests of the state and the people, and therefore warranted the death penalty.” It, however, noted that his sentence carried a reprieve, as he had confessed to his crimes and shown remorse.
The conviction marks the latest high-profile case in President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-graft campaign, which has ensnared numerous senior officials. Supporters of the drive hail it as a push for clean governance, while critics argue it serves as a tool to eliminate political rivals.
Tang, once a rising figure in Chinese politics, previously served as governor of Gansu Province and vice chairman of the Guangxi autonomous region, before his appointment as agriculture minister.
His downfall follows a series of corruption investigations targeting former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe. Li was removed from office just seven months into the role and later expelled from the Communist Party over alleged bribery. His successor, Dong Jun, has also reportedly come under investigation.
