Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign has landed another senior official in jail. Tang Ranjian, the former minister of agriculture and rural affairs, has been sentenced to death with a two-year suspension for accepting more than 268 million yuan (about $38 million) in bribes. The verdict is the latest crackdown on China’s anti-corruption campaign.
The Changchun Intermediate People’s Court in Jilin Province delivered the verdict on September 28, 2025. According to the court, between 2007 and 2024, Tang abused various government positions to receive cash and lavish gifts for helping with business operations, project contracts and job management.
The court said his offence had caused serious harm to the interests of the state and the people. Tang confessed his guilt and expressed remorse. Also, the death sentence was suspended for two years for returning all the assets he had illegally earned.
A two-year suspension is common in China for those sentenced to death. Depending on their conduct during this period, this sentence can result in life imprisonment.
Tang was expelled from the Communist Party in November 2024 following an investigation by the party’s anti-corruption watchdog.Tang’s case comes as part of President Xi Jinping’s ambitious anti-corruption campaign, which has targeted a number of senior officials in both the government and the military. The verdict reaffirms the state’s zero-tolerance policy on economic crimes against high-ranking officials in China.
From the perspective of Nepalese citizens, Tang Ranjian’s conviction also points to Nepal’s own disease of political and administrative corruption. If a large economy like China can bring its former ministers to justice, then corrupt leaders and officials in Nepal need the same strong legal action. The incident is a big warning to corrupt politicians in Nepal, who view abuse of public office as normal. A high level of accountability is imperative for the reform of the country’s financial and good governance system.
