Disorganization is not tolerated in the army, who are those 2 former defense ministers who got death sentence in China?

A big and shocking decision has come to light amidst the ongoing campaign against corruption in China. The country’s two former defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have been sentenced to death on serious corruption charges, although the sentence has been reprieved for two years.

This decision was revealed in a statement issued by China’s government agency Xinhua News Agency. This action is being considered the biggest step so far in President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign.

Who is Wei Fenghe?

Wei Fenghe was the Defense Minister of China from 2018 to 2023 and during this time he played an important role in the country’s military strategy. His biggest identity was that he was not associated with the traditional ground force, but with the rocket force of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). He has been the commander of PLA Rocket Force. He was the first Defense Minister of China who did not come from Ground Force background. His role is considered to be in military modernization and strengthening missile capability. However, in 2024, serious allegations of corruption were leveled against him, after which he was expelled from the party. Now he has been sentenced to death (with suspension) on charges of taking bribe and abuse of office.

What is Li Shangfu’s story?

Li Shangfu took over as China’s Defense Minister in 2023 after Wei Fenghe, but his tenure was very short. He is an aerospace engineer by profession. Remained associated with technical and space programs in China’s defense sector. He suddenly disappeared from public life in 2023, which led to a lot of speculation. Later it came to light that he too was being investigated on corruption charges. After investigation, he was thrown out of the party and now he has also been given death sentence (with postponement).

What were the allegations against both the leaders?

According to the military court’s decision, Wei Fenghe was found guilty of taking bribes, while Li Shangfu was found guilty of both taking and giving bribes. However, it was not made clear in the official statement what was the amount of bribe. This case exposes the corruption prevalent in China’s military and high level politics, on which there has been a demand for action for a long time.

What is ‘Death Sentence with Reprieve’?

Both the leaders have been sentenced to death, but it will not be implemented immediately. Under this sentence, there will be a stay on punishment for two years. During this period, if no other serious crime is committed, the punishment can be changed to life imprisonment, but in this case it has been made clear that life imprisonment will be without parole and without any concession. Apart from this, the political rights of both the leaders have been snatched for life and their entire personal property has been confiscated.

Is this the biggest action in China?

It is being told that this is the harshest punishment against senior military officers after the anti-corruption campaign started by Xi Jinping in 2012. This action also shows that the Chinese government is now adopting a tough stance against corruption even at the top levels of the military.

Will this affect China’s politics and military?

Experts believe that this decision can have far-reaching effects. This will not only increase discipline in the army, but will also strengthen the hold of the political leadership. However, some analysts also say that such strict action could also be a sign of centralization of power.