China has sentenced two former defence ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, to death with a two-year reprieve on corruption charges, according to state media outlet Xinhua.

Under Chinese law, a death sentence with reprieve is usually commuted to life imprisonment after two years if the individual commits no further offences. In this case, state media said the sentences would be converted to life terms without the possibility of parole or sentence reduction.

Both men were found guilty of accepting bribes, and all of their personal assets were confiscated.

Xi’s Military Anti-Corruption Drive Continues

The sentencing comes amid a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown within China’s military under President Xi Jinping.

Wei Fenghe served as China’s defence minister from 2018 to 2023 before being replaced by Li Shangfu in March 2023.

Li’s tenure was short-lived. He was removed from office in October 2023 after disappearing from public view for weeks, fuelling speculation about an internal investigation.

In 2024, both men were expelled from the ruling Communist Party for what Beijing described as “serious violations of discipline,” a phrase commonly used in China for corruption-related offences.

Military Purge Expands

The crackdown has also affected several senior military officials, including top general Zhang Youxia, who was recently removed from his position.

Earlier this year, Xi Jinping publicly addressed the military purge, saying the armed forces had “undergone revolutionary tempering in the fight against corruption.”

Since taking power, Xi has launched repeated anti-corruption campaigns across the party, government, and military.

While Chinese authorities describe the efforts as necessary to clean up the system, critics argue the campaigns have also been used to remove political rivals and tighten Xi’s control over the Communist Party and the armed forces.

(with inputs from Reuters)