China Hands Suspended Death Sentences to Former Defence Ministers

China has sentenced former defence ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu to death with a two-year reprieve in a major PLA corruption case, state media reported Thursday.

The ruling marks one of the harshest punishments against senior Chinese military figures in years and signals that President Xi Jinping’s anti-graft campaign inside the armed forces is far from over.

Wei Fenghe, Li Shangfu Convicted in Bribery Case

Wei Fenghe, 72, who served as defence minister from 2018 to 2023, was found guilty of accepting bribes and abusing his position for improper benefits.

Li Shangfu, 68, who briefly served as defence minister in 2023 before vanishing from public view, was convicted of both accepting and offering bribes, according to official reports.

What Suspended Death Sentence Means in China

In China, a suspended death sentence is usually commuted to life imprisonment after two years if no further offences are committed. In this case, reports said the punishment would become life without parole.

Xi Jinping’s PLA Corruption Crackdown Deepens

The cases come amid a widening crackdown on China military corruption, including senior officers linked to the People’s Liberation Army and Rocket Force.

Officials said the verdicts show Beijing’s intent to enforce discipline at the highest levels. But the purge also raises fresh questions about internal trust, leadership stability and the real scale of graft inside China’s powerful military system.