A Chinese court has handed a death sentence with a two-year reprieve to former agriculture minister Tang Renjian after finding him guilty of accepting bribes amounting to more than 268 million yuan ($38 million), AFP reported.
The People’s Court of Changchun in Jilin province ruled on Sunday that Tang’s actions “caused particularly severe losses to the interests of the state and the people, and therefore warranted the death penalty.” The judgment noted that Tang admitted his crimes and expressed regret.
According to the court, Tang’s corrupt dealings spanned from 2007 until this year, involving cash and property bribes. His sentencing marks another high-profile case in President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-graft campaign, which has already toppled senior officials across different sectors.
Tang previously served as governor of Gansu province and as vice chairman of Guangxi autonomous region before becoming agriculture minister. His downfall mirrors the fate of other senior leaders investigated under Xi’s crackdown, including former defense ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe.
Li was removed after only seven months in office and later expelled from the Chinese Communist Party for alleged bribery, while his successor, Dong Jun, has also reportedly come under corruption scrutiny.
