China’s former justice minister Tang Yijun was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Chinese court Monday for taking bribes totaling more than 137 million yuan (about $19.7 million), state media and court filings showed.
BEIJING — A Chinese court on Monday sentenced Tang Yijun, the country’s former minister of justice, to life in prison after finding him guilty of accepting bribes worth more than 137 million yuan (approximately $19.7 million) during his long career in government, according to state media and official documents.
The Xiamen Intermediate People’s Court in Fujian province said Tang’s offences occurred over a period spanning from 2006 to 2022, when he held various senior posts including governor of Liaoning province and minister of justice. Prosecutors said he used his influence to benefit individuals and companies in matters such as company listings, land acquisitions, bank loans, and legal case handling in exchange for bribes.:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
In its judgment, the court described the amount of illicit gains as "particularly huge," causing "extremely serious" harm to the interests of the state and the public. Tang was also deprived of his political rights for life, and all personal assets were ordered confiscated, with proceeds turned over to the state treasury.:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Tang, 64, pleaded guilty at a public trial held in September 2025 and expressed remorse, according to the court statement. His sentencing marks one of the most prominent convictions in China’s long-running anti-corruption campaign, which has targeted thousands of officials from local cadres to senior leaders over the past decade.:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Analysts say the campaign serves both to rein in graft and to consolidate political control within the Chinese Communist Party under President Xi Jinping. Critics argue the anti-corruption drive can also be a political tool to sideline rivals, though the leadership maintains its focus is on governance and integrity. Tang’s fall from power follows a string of high-profile cases involving senior officials in recent years.:contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Legal scholars noted that life sentences for corruption are relatively common in China when the amounts involved are large and the official’s conduct is judged especially harmful. By comparison, another former justice minister, Fu Zhenghua, received a suspended death sentence that was later commuted to life imprisonment in 2022 after admitting to graft.:contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Observers say the conviction is likely to have reverberations within the Chinese bureaucracy, reinforcing the risks for officials who engage in illicit activities at senior levels. As Beijing heads into critical political gatherings later this year, attention to ethics and discipline within the ruling party is expected to remain central to elite messaging.