China has sentenced former agriculture minister Tang Renjian to death with a two-year reprieve after finding him guilty of accepting bribes totaling over 268 million yuan ($38 million) between 2007 and 2024.
The People’s Court of Changchun in Jilin province said Tang’s actions “caused particularly severe losses to the interests of the state and the people,” warranting the death penalty. The court noted that Tang confessed to his crimes and expressed remorse, which contributed to the suspended sentence.
Tang, who previously served as governor of Gansu province and vice chairman of the Guangxi region, is the latest high-profile figure to fall in President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign.
Xi’s crackdown has taken down numerous senior officials, including former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe. Li was ousted after just seven months in office and later expelled from the Communist Party for alleged bribery, while his successor Dong Jun is also reportedly under investigation.
