China(The COW News Digital)China’s former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tang Renjian, has been handed a suspended death sentence on charges of corruption, marking one of the most high-profile cases in President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-graft campaign.
According to Chinese state media, the Changchun Intermediate People’s Court in Jilin Province found Tang guilty of accepting bribes worth 268 million yuan (approximately USD 37.6 million) in cash and property between 2007 and 2024. The court sentenced him to death with a two-year reprieve, meaning the sentence could later be commuted to life imprisonment if Tang demonstrates good behavior.
Tang, 61, served as governor of Gansu Province from 2017 to 2020 before taking office as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. He was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in November 2024 after an internal investigation found evidence of “serious disciplinary violations.” Six months later, China’s top anti-corruption watchdog formally placed him under investigation, leading to his removal from office.
Reports indicate that Tang’s trial and sentencing were completed unusually quickly, signaling the government’s determination to set an example for other high-ranking officials. Analysts note that his case has been handled with the same intensity as those of former Defense Ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, both of whom were also investigated in sweeping anti-corruption drives.
President Xi Jinping has made anti-corruption a cornerstone of his leadership, describing it as a battle for the survival of the CCP. He has repeatedly warned that graft is the biggest threat to the Party’s legitimacy and vowed to target both “tigers and flies,” referring to senior leaders and lower-level officials alike.
The latest verdict underscores Beijing’s resolve to maintain strict discipline within the government, police, and judiciary. Legal experts say that such suspended death sentences are common in major corruption cases in China, where they act as a deterrent without immediate execution.
Tang’s sentencing comes amid broader efforts to clean up China’s internal security and governance systems, ensuring transparency and accountability at all levels of power.
Observers say the ruling serves as another signal to government officials that Beijing’s crackdown on corruption will remain relentless, with no exceptions for senior figures
