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China Sentences 2 Ex-Defense Ministers to Death with Reprieve in Military Purge

China Sentences 2 Ex-Defense Ministers to Death with Reprieve in Military Purge

Matichon•International•18d ago

Reader Briefing

China has handed down death sentences with a two-year reprieve to two former defense ministers amid a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign initiated by President Xi Jinping.

  • •Two former Chinese Defense Ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.
  • •The sentences are part of a broad anti-corruption campaign targeting the Chinese military, spearheaded by President Xi Jinping since 2012.
  • •The purge has extended to various military branches, including the rocket force responsible for nuclear and conventional missiles.
  • •Investigations found both former ministers guilty of accepting massive bribes and seeking personal gain.

Overview

  • •On May 7, Reuters reported that two former Chinese defense ministers were sentenced.
  • •Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.
  • •The sentences were a result of convictions for corruption, including bribery and dereliction of duty.
  • •This action highlights the severity of a sweeping anti-corruption campaign within the Chinese military, initiated by President Xi Jinping after assuming power in 2012.
  • •In 2023, the purge expanded to the rocket force, which is responsible for nuclear and conventional missiles.
  • •Earlier in 2023, the purge led to the dismissal of People's Liberation Army General Zhang Youxia, a long-time ally of Xi Jinping.
  • •Xinhua reported that Li Shangfu was suspected of accepting enormous bribes and bribing others, failing to perform his political duties, and seeking personal benefits.
  • •Xinhua reported that investigations into Wei Fenghe in 2023 revealed he accepted immense bribes and facilitated improper benefits for others in personnel allocation.
  • •A death sentence with reprieve in China is often commuted to life imprisonment if no further offenses are committed during the reprieve period, after which there is no possibility of further reduction or parole.
  • •The International Institute for Strategic Studies stated this year that the ongoing corruption purges in the Chinese military are creating serious command structure gaps and are likely to hinder the military's rapid modernization efforts.

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Key Entities

Person

Wei Fenghe(เว่ย เฟิงเหอ)ℹ️
Former Minister of National Defense of China who was sentenced to death with reprieve for corruption.
Li Shangfu(หลี่ ชางฟู่)ℹ️
Former Minister of National Defense of China who was sentenced to death with reprieve for corruption.
Xi Jinping(สี จิ้นผิง)ℹ️
President of China who initiated the extensive anti-corruption campaign targeting the military.
Zhang Youxia(จาง โยวเซีย)ℹ️
Senior General in the People's Liberation Army and a member of the Politburo, who was dismissed as part of the military purge.

Place

China(จีน)ℹ️
The country where the military purge and judicial sentences took place.

Organization

Reuters(สำนักข่าวรอยเตอร์)ℹ️
News agency that reported on the sentencing of the former Chinese defense ministers.
Xinhua News Agency(สำนักข่าวซินหัว)ℹ️
Chinese state-owned news agency that provided details on the corruption investigations.
Rocket Force(กองกำลังจรวด)ℹ️
Branch of the Chinese military responsible for nuclear and conventional missiles, which has been a target of the anti-corruption purge.
International Institute for Strategic Studies(สถาบันวิจัยยุทธศาสตร์ระหว่างประเทศ)ℹ️
Research institute that commented on the impact of the anti-corruption purges on China's military command structure and modernization.