Historic Corruption Case Ends in Execution in China

China executed Li Jianping, a former official, on Tuesday for corruption involving over USD 421 million, marking the largest corruption case in the nation's history. This execution is part of President Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign, which has punished over a million officials since 2012.

China on Tuesday executed Li Jianping, a former official in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, for his involvement in the country's largest corruption case, totaling over USD 421 million. Li, 64, previously served as secretary of the ruling Communist Party working committee of the Hohhot economic and technological development zone. His death sentence was initially imposed in September 2022 and affirmed on appeal in August 2024, according to state-run Xinhua news agency.

Li was found guilty by an intermediate court of embezzling an astounding three billion yuan—approximately USD 421 million—in illegal profits, marking the largest amount implicated in a single corruption case in China's history. President Xi Jinping has underscored the anti-corruption drive as a central component of his governance strategy since assuming power in 2012.

This strategy has led to the punishment and prosecution of over a million party officials, including high-ranking military figures. Despite the sustained campaign, the number of top officials facing corruption charges is rising, with 54 cases investigated this year alone in comparison to last year's 45, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

(With inputs from agencies.)