China Sentences Former Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian to Death with Reprieve for $37 Million Bribery

Tang Renjian, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in China, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting bribes worth over 268 million yuan ($37.6 million) between 2007 and 2024. The Changchun Intermediate People's Court in Jilin province noted his confession during the trial. Tang was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party in November 2024 and removed from office following a swift anti-corruption investigation, which paralleled probes into defense ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe. President Xi Jinping has emphasized corruption as the biggest threat to the Communist Party, continuing his crackdown that began in 2020 aimed at ensuring loyalty and transparency within government ranks. Tang's fall from power highlights the intensified efforts by China's leadership to enforce clean governance and combat financial misconduct. This case is part of a broader political climate of zero tolerance for corruption under Xi's administration.