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New Delhi : A Chinese court has sentenced former government official Yang Youlin to death after finding him guilty of accepting more than 2.21 billion yuan (around $325 million) in bribes over a decade, making it one of the country’s biggest corruption cases in recent years.
The ruling, delivered by the Changzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangsu Province, comes amid President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign and reflects Beijing’s uncompromising stance on large-scale financial crimes.
According to Chinese state media, Yang accepted massive bribes between 2013 and 2023 while serving as the former vice director of an economic development zone in Nanjing. Along with bribery, he was convicted of embezzlement, abuse of power and money laundering, with the court stating that his crimes caused enormous financial losses and severely damaged public interests.
Investigators said Yang amassed more than 2.21 billion yuan through illegal payments, placing the case among China’s largest-ever bribery convictions. While corruption prosecutions are common under Xi’s anti-graft drive, death sentences for economic crimes remain relatively rare.
The verdict comes just days after Xi Jinping reiterated his government’s resolve to eliminate corruption within the ruling Communist Party, describing corruption as a “virus” that threatens the country’s governance. Since taking office, Xi has launched one of China’s most extensive anti-corruption crackdowns, leading to investigations involving thousands of senior officials, military officers and executives.
Chinese authorities say the campaign is aimed at strengthening discipline, accountability and public trust in government institutions. However, some international observers argue that the crackdown has also been used to consolidate political power—an allegation Beijing has consistently denied.
Yang Youlin’s death sentence is expected to become one of the most closely watched outcomes of China’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, highlighting the government’s readiness to impose the toughest penalties in cases involving massive financial misconduct and abuse of public office.
