BEIJING, China — China’s former minister of agriculture, Tang Renjian, has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve after being found guilty of accepting bribes worth more than 268 million yuan ($38 million), a court in Jilin province announced on Sunday, September 28, 2025.
The People’s Court of Changchun said Tang took cash and property bribes between 2007 and 2024, using his positions in government to grant favours in exchange for money.
The court said the bribes “caused particularly severe losses to the interests of the state and the people, and therefore warranted the death penalty,” though his sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment if he demonstrates good behaviour during the reprieve period.
Tang confessed to the charges and expressed remorse, according to the ruling.
The sentencing is the latest development in President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign, which has brought down thousands of officials, including senior figures in the military and government.
Supporters of the campaign argue that it reinforces accountability and promotes clean governance.
Critics, however, say it also serves as a political tool for Xi to consolidate power and eliminate rivals.
Tang, 61, previously served as governor of Gansu province and as vice chairman of the Guangxi autonomous region before being appointed minister of agriculture and rural affairs.
His conviction comes after similar cases involving China’s defence establishment. Former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe were investigated on corruption charges, with Li removed from office only seven months into his tenure before being expelled from the Communist Party.
Li’s successor, Dong Jun, has also reportedly come under investigation.
