Beijing, May 9 — Chinese military courts have handed suspended death sentences to two former defence ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, in proceedings that analysts say reflect an escalated purge of senior People’s Liberation Army figures under President Xi Jinping.
State media and reports from Phayul and ANI said both men were convicted on corruption charges, including accepting large bribes and abusing their official authority while overseeing weapons procurement and other defence responsibilities. Li was also found guilty of offering bribes, according to the reports.
Each sentence was given as a death penalty with a two-year reprieve — a legal measure in China that typically leads to commutation to life imprisonment without parole if the condemned commits no further crimes during the suspension period. Courts also ordered the confiscation of personal assets and permanently revoked the political rights of both former ministers.
The verdicts mark a sharp fall from grace for officials who once held top posts. Both Li and Wei previously served as state councillors and were members of the Central Military Commission, the Communist Party body that oversees the PLA.
Li, who ran the Equipment Development Department before becoming defence minister, vanished from public view in 2023 before authorities confirmed his dismissal and expulsion from the Communist Party over corruption allegations. He had been sanctioned by the United States earlier for facilitating Russian arms purchases.
Wei Fenghe served as defence minister from 2018 to 2023 and was the first commander of the PLA Rocket Force, the branch responsible for China’s missiles and nuclear deterrent. His conviction underscores the breadth of Xi’s anti-graft campaign, which has targeted both financial corruption and perceived political disloyalty within the military.
Chinese officials and state media framed the prosecutions as part of an intensifying effort to root out corruption and strengthen Party control of the armed forces. International observers say the moves also consolidate Xi’s influence over the PLA by removing senior figures tied to rival power networks.
The sentences were reported by state outlets and syndicated news feeds; details were published by Phayul and distributed via ANI.
