Beijing – China’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign has claimed another high-profile figure, with former agriculture minister Tang Renjian sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for taking massive bribes.
The People’s Court of Changchun in Jilin province announced on Sunday that Tang accepted more than 268 million yuan (US$38 million) in cash and property between 2007 and 2024. The court said his actions “caused particularly severe losses to the interests of the state and the people,” justifying the harsh penalty.
While Tang’s sentence was handed down as a suspended death penalty, it can be commuted to life imprisonment if he demonstrates good behaviour during the reprieve period.
The 61-year-old, who once served as governor of Gansu province and vice chairman of Guangxi, confessed to his crimes and expressed remorse, the court said.
His downfall underscores the relentless nature of President Xi Jinping’s decade-long anti-graft drive, which has toppled hundreds of senior officials across government, the military, and state-owned enterprises.
In recent months, the campaign has rocked China’s defence establishment, with two former defence ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, removed from their posts amid corruption allegations. Li, expelled from the Communist Party earlier this year, was accused of bribery and other misconduct. His successor, Dong Jun, has also reportedly been placed under investigation.
Supporters argue the crackdown reinforces clean governance and accountability. Critics, however, say it also strengthens Xi’s grip on power by sidelining potential rivals.
Tang’s case sends a powerful signal that Beijing’s war on corruption shows no signs of slowing — and that even ministers at the top of China’s political hierarchy are not beyond its reach…. see original @Hong Kong Free Press