Tang Renjian, former Minister of Agriculture and ex-governor of Gansu, was sentenced to death
He abused his official positions to provide favors in exchange for money and property.
He received leniency for admitting guilt, showing remorse, and voluntarily returning illicit gains.
On September 28, 2025, Tang Renjian, China’s former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by the Changchun Intermediate People’s Court in Jilin province. The verdict followed his conviction for accepting bribes exceeding 268 million yuan (approximately $38 million) between 2007 and 2024, according to Xinhua.
The court ruled that Tang exploited his positions, including his tenure as governor of Gansu province, to provide favors for business deals, approve projects, and make job adjustments in exchange for cash and property. Under the reprieve, his death sentence will be commuted to life imprisonment if he refrains from committing further crimes during the two-year period. He has also been stripped of all political rights for life, and his personal assets have been confiscated and transferred to the state treasury.
The court emphasized the scale and severity of Tang’s offenses, noting the substantial losses inflicted on state resources and public interests. Tang received leniency because he admitted to his crimes, showed remorse, and voluntarily returned illicit gains. The trial, held publicly on July 25, 2025, involved extensive cross-examination by both prosecutors and defense counsel, firmly establishing his guilt.
Tang, 63, hails from Chongqing and joined the Communist Party of China in 1991. Over his decades-long career in the agricultural sector, he held several key positions, including governor of Gansu province from 2017 to 2020, before his appointment as Minister of Agriculture. In May 2024, he came under investigation for “serious violations of Party discipline and national law,” was expelled from the Party six months later, and formally charged with bribery in April 2025.
His conviction forms part of President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign, launched in 2020, which has targeted senior officials across government departments and the domestic security apparatus. Xi has repeatedly described corruption as the “greatest threat” to the Party and stressed the need for loyalty, discipline, and accountability among officials.
Tang’s case underscores China’s strict approach to tackling corruption, signaling that high-ranking officials will face severe consequences for graft—political corruption. [Rh/VP]
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