2 former Chinese defence ministers handed suspended death sentences

Sentences for Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu most severe of senior military officers since Xi Jinping started anti-corruption campaign in 2012 A military court found Wei guilty of accepting bribery, while Li was found guilty of both accepting and offering bribes, according to a two-paragraph statement released by Xinhua late on Thursday afternoon. The statement did not specify the bribe amounts involved in the cases. China sacks defence minister Li Shangfu with no explanation after nearly two-month absence Both men were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, deprivation of political rights for life and confiscation of all personal property, the statement said. After the two-year reprieve period, their sentence would be commuted to life imprisonment without the possibility of commutation or parole, it added. Li served as Chinese defence minister from March to October in 2023, becoming the country’s shortest-serving defence minister. Wei preceded him in the role, serving from 2018 to 2023. Beijing announced that an investigation was launched into Li in August 2023 and Wei in September 2023. They were subsequently expelled from the party and stripped of all military ranks and positions in June 2024.

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