China Hands Suspended Death Sentences to 2 Former Defense Ministers
nytimes.com • • world
Key Points:
- Two former Chinese defense ministers, Generals Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for bribery, likely resulting in life imprisonment.
- These generals are the highest-ranking officers publicly sentenced in President Xi Jinping's ongoing campaign against corruption and disloyalty within the Chinese military.
- Gen. Wei was convicted of accepting bribes, while Gen. Li was found guilty of both accepting and giving bribes; further details of the allegations were not disclosed.
- Since the campaign began, around 100 senior military officers have been dismissed or investigated, reflecting Xi's effort to consolidate control and address corruption as a threat to party loyalty.
- Analysts view the sentences as a strong warning to military personnel about Xi's commitment to continuing the anti-corruption drive despite its impact on the military's leadership.
