The Chinese regime sentenced former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu to death with suspended execution on corruption charges, in a decision that deepens the internal purge promoted by Xi Jinping within the Armed Forces and the structure of the Chinese Communist Party.
The sentence was announced by Chinese military courts and represents one of the most severe measures taken so far in the anti-corruption campaign launched by Xi since coming to power. According to state media, both former officials were found guilty of accepting bribes and abusing their positions to obtain personal benefits and promote irregular promotions
within the military apparatus.Li Shangfu, who had taken office as defense minister in 2023, suddenly disappeared from public life a few months after taking office, fueling speculation about an internal investigation.
Wei Fenghe, his predecessor and former commander of the People's Liberation Army Missile Force, had also been removed from power amid accusations of corruption.
In China, the so-called “suspended death penalty” generally implies that the execution is paused for two years and is usually converted to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if the convicted person does not repeat
