Conviction of Top Generals Signals Years-Long Setback for Beijing’s Taiwan Ambitions: Analysts

Two ex-Chinese defense ministers were handed suspended death sentences over graft, marking the harshest penalties in the military’s anti-corruption campaign.

Then-Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 12, 2022. Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images

Beijing’s conviction of top military generals for corruption has exposed fractures within its political and military leadership, making any near-term military action against Taiwan increasingly unlikely, according to analysts who recently spoke to The Epoch Times.

Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu—both former Chinese defense ministers—were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges on May 7, according to Chinese state-run media Xinhua.