China Hands Former Agriculture Minister De@th Sentence Over $38m Br+bery Scandal

China’s former agriculture minister, Tang Renjian, has been sentenced to de@th with a two-year reprieve after being found guilty of massive corr¥ption, a court in Jilin province announced on Sunday.

According to the People’s Court of Changchun, Tang received cash and property br+bes worth more than 268 million yuan ($38 million) between 2007 and 2024. The court said his actions inflicted “particularly severe losses to the state and the people,” justifying the de@th penalty. However, his admission of guilt and expression of remorse earned him the suspended execution.

Tang’s conviction is part of President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign, which has toppled several high-ranking officials in recent years. While supporters hail the crackdown as a step toward clean governance, critics say it also serves as a tool for Xi to eliminate political rivals.

Before becoming agriculture minister, Tang served as governor of Gansu province and vice chairman of the Guangxi region. His fall from grace mirrors that of former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, who were also ousted over graft allegations. Li was expelled from the Communist Party for suspected br+bery, while his successor, Dong Jun, is reportedly under investigation as well.