China’s former agriculture minister has been handed a death sentence with a two-year reprieve after being convicted on corruption charges, according to a court statement, reports RTE.
As one social media user said: “they don’t mess around over there”, in relation to the case.
The People’s Court of Changchun, located in the northeastern province of Jilin, stated that Tang Renjian received cash and property bribes amounting to more than 268 million yuan (€32.4 million) over the period from 2007 to 2024.
The court determined that the bribes “caused particularly severe losses to the interests of the state and the people, and therefore warranted the death penalty”, noting that Tang had admitted to the offences and shown remorse, reports RTE.
Tang’s sentencing is part of President Xi Jinping’s broad anti-corruption initiative, which has seen multiple senior officials removed from their positions.
Proponents of Xi’s anti-graft efforts argue the campaign fosters transparency and integrity, while critics claim it gives the president a means to eliminate political opponents, reports RTE.
Tang Renjian also held previous roles as governor of Gansu, a province in the northwest, and as vice chairman of Guangxi, an autonomous region in the south.
His case follows the recent corruption investigations involving former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, reports RTE.
Li was ousted just seven months into his term, and later expelled from the Communist Party due to various violations, including alleged bribery, according to state media.
Reports have also indicated that his successor, Dong Jun, is now under investigation for corruption as well, reports RTE.
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