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China Sentences Two Ex-Defence Ministers to Death Over Graft: Wei Fenghe (2018-23) & Li Shangfu Under Xi's Anti-Corruption Drive

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingPrelims HighMains Medium
07 May 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:May 7, 2026Death with 2-year reprieveSince 20122015
Bodies:China's Military CourtCentral Military CommissionCommunist Party of ChinaPeople's Liberation Army (PLA)PLA Rocket Force
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.Former Defence Ministers Wei Fenghe (served 2018-2023) and Li Shangfu were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve on May 7, 2026, by a military court for bribery charges.

2.Both were expelled from the Communist Party in 2024 and were members of the Central Military Commission, highlighting Xi Jinping's extensive anti-corruption purge targeting senior military leaders.

3.For exam perspective, this case illustrates China's internal governance mechanisms, the political control over the military, and the strategic importance of the PLA Rocket Force.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

China's military court, in a dramatic move, sentenced former Defence Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption. This underscores President Xi Jinping's decade-long, high-impact anti-corruption campaign within the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and its elite Rocket Force.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Date of SentenceMay 7, 2026
Sentence TypeDeath with 2-year reprieve
Name of CourtChina's Military Court
Key Anti-Corruption Campaign StartSince 2012 (Xi's tenure)
PLA Rocket Force Established2015

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Date of Sentence: May 7, 2026
  • ›Sentence Type: Death with 2-year reprieve
  • ›Target this Data: 'Death with a two-year reprieve' sentence on 'May 7, 2026'.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: 'China's Military Court' and the 'Central Military Commission (CMC)'.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Charges of 'accepting bribes' and 'offering bribes' under China's anti-corruption laws.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

The former Chinese Defence Ministers sentenced in the news were also former members of which top military body chaired by Xi Jinping?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the news:

1. Both former Defence Ministers were sentenced to death with immediate execution by China's Supreme Court.

2. Wei Fenghe served as the Defence Minister of China from 2018 to 2023.

3. The PLA Rocket Force, which both individuals headed, was established in 2015 as part of a military overhaul.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, in which year were the two former Defence Ministers expelled from the ruling Communist Party of China?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary significance of sentencing former Defence Ministers from the PLA Rocket Force, as highlighted in the news?

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