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In a first, China accuses former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe of corruption
- Both men have also been expelled from the Communist Party in an unprecedented Politburo announcement
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In an unprecedented move, Beijing has announced corruption investigations into two former defence ministers.
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Wei Fenghe and his successor Li Shangfu have also been expelled from the Communist Party, state news agency Xinhua reported, following a meeting on Thursday of the party’s 24-man Politburo.
The announcement comes months after the abrupt dismissal of Li, China’s shortest-serving defence minister. Li was sacked from his job in October, just seven months after he became defence minister. Wei held the position from 2018 to 2023.
Earlier meetings of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the country’s top military decision-making body, also stripped Li and Wei of their positions as generals and membership of the People’s Liberation Army, it added.
The investigation into Li began on August 31 and concluded that he had accepted “large sums of money” to seek benefits for others. He had also bribed others, according to the statement.
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Wei came under investigation on September 21 and is accused of accepting unauthorised gifts and large amounts of money in exchange for using his power to obtain benefits for others. He is not accused of taking bribes.
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