A former Chinese agricultural minister, Tang Renjian, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve on Sunday after being convicted on sweeping corruption charges, according to a court statement.
The People’s Court of Changchun in Jilin province stated that Tang accepted cash and property bribes totaling over 268 million yuan ($38 million) between 2007 and 2024.
The court ruled that the scale of the bribery “caused particularly severe losses to the interests of the state and the people, and therefore warranted the death penalty.” However, the sentence included a reprieve because Tang confessed to his crimes and expressed remorse.
Context of Xi Jinping’s Anti-Graft Campaign
Tang’s downfall is the latest high-profile conviction in President Xi Jinping’s extensive and long-running anti-graft campaign.
While supporters argue the campaign promotes clean governance within the Chinese Communist Party, critics maintain that it also serves as a tool for the president to purge political rivals.
Prior to his role as agriculture minister, Tang held prominent positions, including:
- Governor of the northwestern province of Gansu.
- Vice Chairman of the southern autonomous region of Guangxi.
His sentencing closely follows similar graft investigations into former defense ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe. Li was removed from office and later expelled from the Party for suspected bribery offenses. Furthermore, Li’s successor, Dong Jun, was also reportedly placed under investigation for corruption, highlighting the continued volatility and reach of the crackdown within the highest levels of government.
Source: Asia News Network
