On May 7, China’s military court issued first-instance verdicts in corruption cases involving former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu. Both were convicted of accepting bribes, with Li also found guilty of offering bribes. The court sentenced each to death with a two-year reprieve, along with life imprisonment without the possibility of commutation or parole. The ruling represents one of the most severe penalties imposed on senior People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officials in recent years.
A commentary republished by Xinhua News Agency, originally from the PLA Daily, emphasized that the cases involve not only corruption but also political loyalty. The article stated, “The military must not tolerate individuals who are disloyal to the Chinese Communist Party. “Since the 18th Party Congress, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, and Chairman Xi Jinping, authorities have intensified efforts to investigate high-level corruption and eliminate ‘political risks.’” “The armed forces must align closely with Xi Jinping and uphold the Central Military Commission Chairman responsibility system, … building a strong military first requires being ‘politically strong.’”
The verdict noted that Li Shangfu’s offenses included both accepting and offering bribes. Li previously served as head of the PLA General Armaments Department, whose predecessor was Zhang Youxia, prompting speculation that the bribery charge could be linked to Zhang.
Separately, overseas commentator Yuan Hongbing cited sources claiming that Wei and Li were viewed as politically unreliable because their views are different from Xi Jinping on a potential Taiwan Strait war. According to these claims, they outwardly expressed support for the official position of being willing to wage the war, but privately doubted the likelihood of success. They worked on contingency preparations to control China in case of such a failure, not only reaching out within the PLA system, but also to officials in the Party and government organs. This was why Xi Jinping couldn’t tolerate them and imposed such severe punishment on them.
Sources:
1. Xinhua, May 8, 2026
https://www.news.cn/politics/20260508/705866aafb3841a68c165a4fbeaa4dca/c.html
2. Epoch Times, May 8, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/5/8/n14759168.htm