China's military purge reached a new extreme as a military court handed suspended death sentences to two former defence ministers in a stunning corruption conviction. Wei Fenghe, who led the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force and served as defence minister from 2018 to 2023, and Li Shangfu, briefly the country's 13th defence minister, were both found guilty of bribery. The sentences, which are normally reduced to life imprisonment after a two-year reprieve, also came with expulsions from the Chinese Communist Party and the revocation of their general ranks.
The verdict marks a dramatic escalation in President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign, which has increasingly targeted the military establishment. Both officials were accused of accepting bribes in exchange for promotions and contracts within the defence sector. The court stated that their actions had severely damaged the reputation of the armed forces and undermined national security.
Wei Fenghe, a former rocket force commander, was seen as a key figure in China's nuclear modernization. Li Shangfu, who served as defence minister for only a few months in 2023, was previously head of the equipment development department. Their convictions are part of a broader crackdown that has seen dozens of senior military officials removed from their posts since 2023.
Legal experts note that while the death penalty is rarely carried out in such cases, the suspended sentence serves as a powerful warning to other officials. The two-year reprieve typically leads to commutation to life imprisonment, but the stigma and loss of privileges are permanent. The Chinese Communist Party has emphasized that no one is above the law, and this case underscores the leadership's commitment to rooting out corruption at all levels.
