Former Chinese defence ministers awarded suspended death sentences in corruption cases

Former Chinese defence ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were on Thursday sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve on corruption charges, marking one of the most high-profile military graft crackdowns in China in recent years.

The verdicts were reported by Chinese state media and come amid an intensifying anti-corruption campaign led by Chinese President Xi Jinping targeting senior figures within the country’s political and military establishment.

Both Wei and Li had served as defence ministers under Xi and were regarded as trusted figures within the leadership before their dramatic downfall. The two were expelled from the ruling Communist Party of China in 2024 following investigations into alleged corruption and disciplinary violations.

Wei served as China’s defence minister from 2018 to 2023 and was a senior general in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). His tenure coincided with an assertive phase in China’s military modernisation and growing tensions with the United States and regional rivals in the Indo-Pacific.

Li succeeded Wei in 2023 but held office for only a few months before abruptly disappearing from public engagements, fuelling speculation about an internal investigation. He was later removed from office without detailed public explanation.

Before becoming defence minister, Li headed the PLA Rocket Force, the branch responsible for China’s missile and strategic weapons systems. The Rocket Force has faced extensive scrutiny over the past two years, with several senior officers reportedly investigated or removed amid corruption allegations.

Li, a Chinese aerospace engineer, had reportedly been personally selected by Xi for the defence portfolio, making his dismissal particularly notable within China’s tightly controlled political system.

Under Chinese law, a death sentence with a two-year reprieve is typically commuted to life imprisonment if the convicted individual does not commit further offences during the suspension period.

The cases are being viewed by analysts as part of Xi’s broader effort to reinforce political discipline and tighten control over the military establishment as China continues rapid defence expansion and strategic competition with the West.