A Chinese military court has handed suspended death sentences to former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu for corruption, according to state media, as Both were convicted of bribery and will serve a two-year reprieve before their sentences are commuted to life imprisonment, with no possibility of parole. They were also stripped of their political rights for life and had their personal assets confiscated, according to Xinhua state news agency.

Background on the convicted officials

Wei Fenghe. 72, served as China’s defense minister from 2018 to 2023, and Li Shangfu, 68, succeeded Wei but held the post for less than eight months in 2023. Both were placed under investigation by the military’s anti-graft body in 2023, but Li was also found guilty of offering bribes, according to Politico, though Li had previously been seen as close to Chinese President Xi Jinping and disappeared from public view after his appointment in 2023.

Scope of Xi Jinping’s military purges

These convictions are part of a larger reshuffle of high-ranking military officials under Xi Jinping. Since 2022. More than 100 officers have been removed or are suspected of being removed, according to a February report by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. Thirty-six generals and lieutenant generals have been officially removed, while 65 others are missing or under investigation; When considering repeated purges, 52% of the People’s Liberation Army’s top leadership positions have been affected, the report found.

The latest removal targets the highest levels of the military, including the removal of Zhang Youxia in January — Zhang, a top general, once oversaw the military’s day-to-day operations and was the highest-ranking officer removed to date. This pattern of purges has been part of Xi’s broader effort to consolidate power and modernize the military.

Concerns about military readiness

Experts have raised concerns about the impact of these purges on the military’s operational readiness. The report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies notes that the scale of the “rare reshuffle” could affect the military’s ability to conduct complex operations. The report also states that since Xi’s rule began in 2012, millions of officials have been removed in anti-corruption campaigns, with some high-ranking officials reportedly dying in custody, according to Politico.

While the government frames these actions as part of an anti-corruption drive, the rapid and high-level nature of the purges has drawn attention from both domestic and international observers. Some have questioned whether the military can maintain stability and readiness amid the ongoing shake-up.