China Hands Life Sentence to Former Justice Minister Tang Yijun Over Bribery
China has sentenced former justice minister Tang Yijun to life imprisonment in a major corruption case, underscoring President Xi Jinping’s continued push against high-level graft within the country’s political system. The ruling reflects the Chinese government’s hardline stance on corruption, particularly among senior officials entrusted with key state responsibilities.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, the Xiamen Intermediate People’s Court in Fujian province delivered the verdict after finding Tang guilty of accepting massive bribes over a period spanning more than 15 years. The court stated that Tang illegally received property valued at over 137 million yuan, equivalent to nearly 20 million dollars, between 2006 and 2022.
During this time, Tang was found to have abused his official authority to provide undue benefits to companies and individuals. These favors reportedly covered sensitive areas such as company listings, land repurchase arrangements, bank loan approvals and the handling of legal cases. The court described the scale of the bribery as exceptionally large and noted that it caused serious harm to the interests of the state and the public.
In addition to the life sentence, Tang has been permanently stripped of his political rights. Authorities have also ordered the confiscation of all his personal assets, reinforcing the severity of the punishment and signaling zero tolerance for corruption at the highest levels of government.
The sentencing comes amid an intensified anti-corruption campaign led by President Xi Jinping. Over recent months, a series of senior officials have been investigated or removed from office, highlighting the campaign’s expanding reach. China’s anti-graft watchdog recently announced an investigation into Wang Xiangxi, the current minister of emergency management, a rare move involving a sitting cabinet minister.
The campaign has also extended into the military. Last month, reports emerged that top general Zhang Youxia was under investigation, marking one of the most prominent purges of senior military leadership in recent years. These developments point to a renewed effort to reinforce discipline and loyalty within both civilian and defense institutions.
Tang Yijun, now 64, built much of his political career in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, where he served for more than three decades. He eventually rose to the position of deputy Communist Party chief in the province. Tang later became governor of Liaoning province before being appointed China’s justice minister in 2020.
His downfall began in April 2024, when authorities launched an investigation into suspected serious violations of discipline and law, a phrase commonly used in China to indicate corruption. Tang was subsequently expelled from the Communist Party later that year, effectively ending his political career.
The case is widely seen as another warning to officials across China that misconduct, regardless of rank or past influence, will face severe consequences under the ongoing anti-corruption drive.
