Another Chinese official sentenced to death for corruption

07 Jul 2026, 08:51 by Wale Odunsi · Daily Post

A Chinese court has sentenced a former public official, Yang Youlin, to death for bribery, offering bribes, embezzlement, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of power, and money laundering.

The former executive deputy director of the Nanjing Economic and Technological Development Zone Management Committee is also expected to pay millions of yuan in fines.

The Changzhou Intermediate People’s Court found that Youlin illegally accepted money and property totalling more than 2.2 billion yuan ($324m) while holding various government posts from 1993 to 2023.

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In Nanjing Jiangning, Youlin held top positions spanning Construction Bureau, Municipal Engineering Company, Economic and Technological Development, Science and Technology Park, and Cultural Tourism Development.

“The bribery amount was exceptionally large. The social impact was exceptionally egregious. He caused significant losses to the state and the people,” the court said in a statement on Monday.

The ruling ordered the proceeds of Yang Youlin’s crimes and any interest accrued to be turned over to the national treasury, with additional recovery to be pursued.

Findings show that the conviction is the latest in a series of recent verdicts involving several public officials, with penalties ranging from years of imprisonment to death sentences, mostly with a two-year reprieve.

The respite is a suspended death sentence in China in which convicts avoid immediate execution. The sentence is commuted to life imprisonment if they do not commit further crimes and show reformation during the two years.

On May 7, 2026, the Military Court sentenced Wei Fenghe to death for bribery, with a two-year reprieve. He was a member of the Central Military Commission, a former State Councilor and Minister of National Defense.

On May 7, 2026, the Intermediate People’s Court of Zhangzhou City sentenced Zhou Xi’an to death for bribery, with reprieve. He was Vice Chairman, Anhui Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

On May 8, 2026, the Intermediate People’s Court of Luzhou City sentenced Lu Kehua to death for bribery, with reprieve. He was a chieftain of the Chongqing Municipal Committee and ex-Secretary, Political & Legal Affairs Commission.

On June 17, 2026, the Xuzhou Intermediate People’s Court of Jiangsu Province sentenced Yuan Guangyu—former Vice President of China National Offshore Oil Corporation—to death for bribery, with a two-year reprieve.

On June 23, 2026, the Intermediate People’s Court of Nanchang City sentenced Zhu Zhisong to death for bribery, with reprieve. He was a chieftain of the Shanghai Municipal Committee and ex-Secretary of the Pudong New Area Committee.

On April 29, 2026, the Shanghai Second Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Chen Shifei to 14 years in prison for bribery. He was a Deputy Director of the National Medical Products Administration.

On May 29, 2026, the Xinxiang Intermediate People’s Court of Henan Province publicly sentenced Liu Yingcheng (formerly known as Shi Yongxin) to 24 years in prison for accepting bribes as a non-state employee and offering bribes.

On June 29, 2026, the Intermediate People’s Court of Changde City sentenced Zhou Jiabin to life in prison for bribery. He co-led the Guangxi Zhuang Region People’s Congress and was ex-Secretary, Guilin Municipal Committee.

On June 30, 2026, the Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court of Jiangsu Province sentenced Liu Mancang to life imprisonment for bribery. He was Vice Chairman, Standing Committee of the Henan Provincial People’s Congress.

Another Chinese official sentenced to death for corruption

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