Former Chinese Agriculture Minister Faces Death Sentence for Taking Bribes

Former Chinese Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian has been sentenced to death for accepting bribes. Tang was accused of abusing his position while in government from 2007 to 2024. He assisted others in securing projects, aiding businesses, and facilitating job changes, in exchange for which he received 268 million yuan (approximately 315 crore rupees) in bribes. The Changchun City court in China stated that Tang’s corruption was highly detrimental to the country and its people, leading to a severe sentence. However, he received some leniency due to his confession, remorse, and return of the illicit funds to the government. The court has granted Tang a two-year reprieve. This means his death sentence could be commuted to life imprisonment if he demonstrates good behavior. The court has confiscated all of his personal belongings, and the bribe money has been deposited in the government treasury. Furthermore, he has been barred from politics for life. Since Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, a large-scale anti-corruption campaign has been underway in the country. This campaign, known as “Catching Ants and Tigers,” targets everyone from small officials to high-ranking leaders and officers. Over 1 million government officials have been caught in corruption cases under the campaign. These include small village officials, high-ranking ministers, and many senior military officers. Action has also been taken against more than 100 senior army officers. The aim is to clean up the government and the Communist Party system, to win the trust of the people, and to eradicate corruption. However, some people claim that this campaign has also been used to remove political opponents.