Tang Renjian, China’s former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption and bribery, according to reports from state-run news agency Xinhua. The ruling was delivered on Sunday by the Changchun Intermediate People’s Court in Jilin Province.

Court documents revealed that Tang accepted bribes in the form of cash and property valued at more than 268 million yuan (approximately $37.6 million) between 2007 and 2024 while holding various government positions. The court noted that Tang confessed to his crimes, which led to the suspension of his death sentence for two years.

In November 2024, Tang was expelled from the Communist Party of China, six months after being placed under investigation by the country’s top anti-graft watchdog. His removal followed a rapid investigation process, which mirrored similar probes into senior officials, including former Defence Minister Li Shangfu and his predecessor Wei Fenghe.

Tang previously served as the Governor of Gansu Province (2017–2020) before being appointed as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. His downfall is part of President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign, launched in 2020 to purge China’s domestic security and political systems of disloyalty. Xi has repeatedly warned that corruption remains the biggest threat to the Communist Party of China.

This case underscores Beijing’s ongoing crackdown on corruption within its leadership ranks and highlights the strict measures being taken to ensure loyalty and discipline among government officials.