Former Chinese Agriculture Minister Sentenced to Death in Corruption Crackdown
Changchun, China – In a dramatic escalation of its ongoing anti-corruption campaign, a Chinese court sentenced former Minister of Agriculture Tang Renjian to the death penalty with a two-year suspension on sunday. The Popular Court of Changchun, in Jilin province, found Tang guilty of accepting bribes totaling over 268 million yuan (approximately 32 million euros) between 2007 and 2024.
According to a court statement, Tang accepted bribes in the form of cash and goods, causing “particularly serious losses to the interests of the State and the People.” The former minister reportedly confessed to his crimes and expressed remorse.
The sentencing of Tang Renjian is the latest in a sweeping crackdown on corruption led by President Xi Jinping, a campaign lauded by supporters as a push for cleaner governance, but viewed by critics as a tool for political purges.
tang Renjian served as Minister of Agriculture from 2020 to 2024. Prior to that, he held prominent positions as governor of Gansu province and vice-president of the Guangxi autonomous region.
His downfall follows similar investigations targeting high-ranking officials, including former defense ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe. Li Shangfu was dismissed from his post after just seven months and afterward expelled from the Chinese Communist Party amid corruption allegations. Reports also suggest that his successor, current Minister of Defense Dong Jun, is also under investigation.
The continued purge raises questions about the stability within the Chinese leadership and the scope of corruption within the government. The anti-corruption drive,now in its decade-long run,shows no signs of slowing down.
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