China sentences ex-justice minister to life for bribery

ISTANBUL

China on Monday sentenced former justice minister and senior political adviser, Tang Yijun, to life in prison for bribery, state-run Xinhua News reported.

Tang, who also served as chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, was also deprived of political rights for life.

He was sentenced by a court in Xiamen, in east China’s Fujian province.

According to the verdict, Tang’s personal assets will be confiscated, and all illegal proceeds will be recovered and turned over to the state treasury.

The court found that between 2006 and 2022, Tang abused his positions in Zhejiang and Liaoning provinces, as well as his tenure as justice minister, to provide improper assistance to others in matters including corporate listings, land buybacks, bank financing and case handling. In return, he illegally received more than 137 million yuan (about $19.7 million) in cash and gifts.

The case was heard in an open court session on Sept. 11, 2025. In his final statement, Tang admitted guilt and expressed remorse.

The sentence comes as China’s official military media said Monday that a probe into the country’s top generals would “eliminate watered-down” combat capability within the armed forces.

“The resolute investigation and punishment of corrupt officials such as Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli removes obstacles and stumbling blocks that hinder the development of our cause,” a front-page editorial in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily said on Monday.

Zhang, the PLA’s top uniformed general, and Liu have been under investigation since last month over “suspected serious discipline and law violations,” according to a Chinese Defense Ministry statement issued on Jan. 24.