Two former Chinese Defence Ministers sentenced to death for corruption

Two former Chinese Defence Ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges on Thursday (May 7, 2026), official media reported.

Their sentences were separately handed down by China’s military court, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Wei was convicted of accepting bribes, while Li was convicted of both accepting and offering bribes, the agency reported, citing the court rulings.

Wei and his successor Li, who worked under President Xi Jinping’s watch, were expelled from the ruling Communist Party in 2024. They were also former members of the Central Military Commission headed by Mr. Xi.

Wei served as Defence Minister from 2018 to 2023, and Li barely served a few months as his successor.

Both Wei and Li headed the People’s Liberation Army’s all-important Rocket (Missile) Force, established in 2015 as part of Xi’s military overhaul.

Wei, who headed the rocket force from its inception until 2017 and later served as the Defence Minister, was detained and expelled from the ruling Communist Party over corruption charges. 

Li was personally picked up for the top defence post by Xi himself.

After Li’s sacking, several of its top officials were removed and charged with corruption.

Since he came to power in 2012, President Xi has carried out a massive anti-corruption campaign in which over a million officials, including several generals, have been punished.