Beijing
A Chinese court has handed suspended death sentences to two former defence ministers as part of President Xi Jinping’s long-running crackdown on corruption in the military and politics.
The convicted officials are Wei Fenghe, who served as defence minister from 2018 to 2023, and his successor Li Shangfu, who held the post for about eight months. Wei was accused of taking bribes worth several crores, while Li faced allegations linked to irregularities in military procurement.
Both men had earlier led the People’s Liberation Army’s missile force, a unit created in 2015 as part of Xi’s military reforms.
Under Chinese law, a suspended death sentence means their conduct will be monitored for two years, after which the punishment may be commuted to life imprisonment.
The court also ordered confiscation of all illegally acquired assets and barred both men from holding any political responsibilities for life.
