Two former Chinese defence ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, were given suspended death sentences for bribery on Thursday, May 8, 2026, after being convicted by China's military court. The sentences are among the most severe in a years-long purge of the military, according to state media reports.
Li Shangfu, who served as defence minister from 2023 to 2024, and Wei Fenghe, who held the post from 2018 to 2023, were found guilty of accepting bribes. The suspended death penalty means they will be spared execution if they remain on good behavior for two years, after which their sentences may be commuted to life imprisonment.
The cases are part of a broader anti-corruption campaign under President Xi Jinping that has targeted senior military officials. The verdicts were announced by the People's Liberation Army's military court, though specific details of the bribery amounts were not disclosed in official statements.
