Two former Chinese defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve after being convicted of accepting bribes. A military court ordered the confiscation of all their personal assets, and state media reported that their sentences will not be eligible for reduction or parole.

Under China's legal system, a suspended death sentence is typically commuted to life imprisonment after two years if no further crimes are committed. Wei served as defense minister from 2018 to 2023, while Li held the post briefly in 2023 before being removed after disappearing from public view.

The convictions come amid a sweeping anti-corruption campaign within the country's military led by President Xi Jinping. Several senior military officials have been dismissed as part of the crackdown, which Xi has described as a period of 'revolutionary tempering' for the armed forces. Critics argue that such campaigns have also been used to sideline political rivals.