Kathmandu. China has sentenced two former defense ministers, Li Tsangfu and Wei Fenghe, to death for corruption. According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, both will be jailed for the first 2 years.
If they do not commit any new offences for those two years, the sentence can be commuted to life imprisonment.
Li Sangfu was abruptly removed from office last year, while Wei Fenghe was also under investigation for military corruption. Both were expelled from China’s ruling Communist Party in 2024.
According to experts, this action is part of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign. Over the past few years, several senior officials associated with China’s military and defense have been prosecuted.
Li Sangfu accused of bribery and indiscipline violation
China’s former Defense Minister Li Shangfu (right) takes oath at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in 2023.
China’s former defense minister Li Shanfu was abruptly removed from his post in October last year. He did not appear in public for nearly two months, sparking a lot of speculation.
For the first time, Chinese authorities have officially acknowledged that he is being investigated for corruption.
According to a CCTV report, the Military Discipline Investigation Agency found that Lee had “seriously violated party discipline and laws”. He has been accused of taking large bribes, bribing others and abusing his position.
“Lee’s activities have caused significant damage to the military’s weapons development and image of military equipment,” the report said.
Former Defense Minister Wei Fenghe also takes action
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China’s former defense minister Wei Fenghe has been accused of taking bribes and abusing his position. A Chinese military court has found him guilty of corruption.
According to the investigative report, Wei Fenghe took bribes to benefit from decisions related to the Ministry of Defense and the military.
Wei Fenghe was one of China’s most senior military officers. He is the former Defense Minister of China and also the commander of the ‘Rocket Force’ of the Chinese Army. The rocket force handles China’s missile and nuclear weapons systems.
Wei Fenghe was China’s defense minister from 2018 to 2023.
Rocket Force research target
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According to the report, the PLA Rocket Force and the Army’s Arms Procurement Department are considered to be the biggest centers of corruption investigation in China. The PLA Rocket Force is the body responsible for handling the country’s nuclear missiles and long-range ballistic missiles.
It is considered a very important part of China’s military power, because it has the ability to launch a nuclear attack if necessary.
Investigative agencies suspect large-scale corruption in arms procurement, defence contracts and supplies of military equipment for the army. Several officers are accused of awarding contracts and taking bribes in large military contracts.
Central Military Commission conducted research
In the case of Li Sangfu and Wei Fenghe, the investigating agencies of the Central Military Commission (CMC) investigated allegations of corruption and bribery.
The CMC is China’s supreme military body, which controls the military on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CCP) and the Chinese government. Chinese President Xi Jinping is the chairman of the CMC.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the People’s Armed Police (PAP) and the militias operate under it.
Over the past year, dozens of senior officials associated with China’s military and aerospace sectors have been removed from their posts. Experts say the crackdown is part of President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on corruption and antitrust.
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