Former Chinese Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian Sentenced to Death with Two-Year Reprieve for $38m Corruption
Former Chinese Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian, accused of taking $38m in bribes, has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve as Xi Jinping’s anti-graft campaign intensifies.
China’s anti-graft campaign has once again claimed a high-profile name as former agriculture minister Tang Renjian has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve after being found guilty of massive corruption and bribery, PulseNets learnt on Sunday.
According to information obtained by PulseNets from the People’s Court of Changchun in northeast Jilin Province, Mr Tang was accused of collecting property and cash bribes worth more than $38 million between 2007 and 2024. The ruling, as reported by Xinhua News Agency, noted that the disgraced politician had severely violated public trust.
The court ruled that “Tang Renjian’s actions inflicted grave damage to the interests of both the state and its people, making the death penalty an unavoidable judgment.”
However, PulseNets learnt that Tang had admitted guilt, returned a portion of the illegal assets, and displayed remorse throughout the investigation. The judges highlighted that his cooperation spared him from immediate execution. “His confession and repentance warranted a reprieve under China’s criminal code,” the court added.
The 63-year-old, who once served as governor of Gansu Province, will now serve his death sentence under suspension for two years. Under China’s Criminal Law, Chapter 5, Sections 48, 50, and 51, such a reprieve could see the sentence reduced to life imprisonment or a fixed term if the convict demonstrates good conduct during the probationary period.
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Analysts who spoke to PulseNets stressed that Tang’s conviction falls in line with President Xi Jinping’s unrelenting anti-corruption drive, which has in recent years brought down dozens of high-ranking officials. His sentencing, they said, reinforces Beijing’s message that no official is untouchable when it comes to graft.
The development places Tang Renjian among the growing list of Chinese political elites who have faced capital punishment as part of Xi’s sweeping anti-graft crackdown.
