Qincheng Prison (video screenshot)
[People News] On Friday, November 15, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced that Tang Renjian, the former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, had been “double-dismissed”—expelled from the Party and removed from public office. Tang has also been handed over to prosecutorial authorities for investigation and prosecution on charges of bribery.
According to Voice of America, 62-year-old Tang Renjian was placed under investigation in May this year for “serious violations of discipline and law.” Shortly thereafter, his name was removed from the list of CCP ministry leaders and the website of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Since coming to power in 2012, CCP leader Xi Jinping has aggressively pursued an anti-corruption campaign, using it both to purge political rivals and promote loyalists, as well as to appease public outrage over corrupt officials. However, the number of corrupt officials seems to increase rather than decrease, evoking the saying, “Wildfires burn endlessly; with the spring wind, they grow again.”
Reuters noted that Tang’s case moved unusually quickly from the announcement of his investigation to his double-dismissal, in contrast to previous cases like those of former Defense Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, who were also investigated for corruption.
According to the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission, Tang’s dismissal was primarily due to his failure to effectively implement CCP policies on rural and agricultural work. He is accused of "allowing" staff under his leadership to exploit their positions for personal gain, making “blind decisions” during poverty alleviation efforts, and "illegally accepting" vast sums of money and goods.
"Tang Renjian lost his ideals and faith, betrayed his original mission," said the CCDI and National Supervisory Commission announcement.
Tang was also accused of:"Accepting bribes and benefits in the selection and appointment of cadres.""Illegally interfering in judicial activities.""Improper family conduct and moral corruption.""Excessive greed, leading to the illegal acceptance of large sums of money and goods."
Xi Jinping has often highlighted his anti-corruption campaign as one of his key political achievements, boasting of bringing down numerous “tigers” (high-ranking officials). Earlier this year, Xi declared the anti-corruption struggle had achieved “decisive victory” while vowing it would remain “on the road forever” without pause.
Critics, however, argue that Xi uses anti-corruption as a tool to eliminate political opponents, ignoring the systemic roots of corruption in China. These include low official salaries and unchecked power. Some even joke that because the underlying causes of corruption remain unaddressed, Xi’s anti-corruption campaign has made being a senior CCP official a “high-risk occupation.”
Before serving as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2020, Tang was Governor of Gansu Province from 2017 to 2020. He had also held long-term roles within the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Agricultural Work Group. During his tenure as Minister, he emphasized China’s food security policies, approved the use of genetically modified foods, and promoted the legislation and implementation of the Food Security Guarantee Law.
After Tang’s removal in May, the CCP appointed 60-year-old Han Jun as the new Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in September.
The CCDI and National Supervisory Commission’s announcement stated that Tang’s illicit gains would be confiscated:
"His suspected criminal acts will be transferred to the procuratorial authorities for review and prosecution, and the assets involved will be transferred along with the case."
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