China sentences two ex-Defence Ministers to death with reprieve

8 MAY 2026

A Chinese military court gave suspended death sentences to two former Defence Ministers who were accused of bribery.
The court said Wei Fenghe was guilty of accepting bribes and sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.
It said Li Shangfu was guilty of accepting and offering bribes, and handed him the same sentence.
Suspended death sentences are often commuted to life in prison in China.
The sentences are the latest in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s campaign of purging senior officials.
Mr. Xi started an anti-corruption drive more than a decade ago and his drive has continued unabated.