Chinese Defense Executive Receives Suspended Death Sentence

In a significant development in China's anti-corruption campaign, He Wenzhong, the former deputy general manager of a key state-run defense gear supplier, has been handed a death sentence with a two-year reprieve. The ruling comes after He was found guilty of receiving bribes exceeding 289 million yuan during his tenure at China Electronics Technology Group Corp from 2006 to 2023.

The judgment was reported by the national broadcaster CCTV, emphasizing the country's stern stance against graft. The case against He, which first came to light last April through China's anti-graft watchdog, revealed deep-seated corruption within the ranks of the state-run company.

Under the terms of his sentence, He faces capital punishment only if further criminal activities are recorded during the reprieve period. If no such acts occur, the death sentence will commute to life imprisonment, reflecting the judiciary's conditional clemency policy. This case underscores the intensity of China's fight against corruption at high echelons.

(With inputs from agencies.)