On Tuesday, China carried out the death sentence against Li Jianping, the former secretary of the Communist Party of China Working Committee of the Hohhot Economic and Technological Development Zone. The ex-official was accused of corruption, bribery, embezzlement of state funds and facilitating the activities of a criminal syndicate.
The death sentence was issued by the Supreme People's Court of China and carried out by a local court in Inner Mongolia, where Li also held high positions.
According to the court, Li Jianping abused his official position by misappropriating more than 1.437 billion yuan ($220 million) from state-owned company funds.
He also received bribes totaling more than 577 million yuan (over $79 million), using his influence to favor others. Of the official's abuses, more than 1.06 billion yuan (over $145.5 million) of public funds were misappropriated, and more than 404 million yuan ($55 million) remained unrecovered until the crime was uncovered.
In addition to financial fraud, Li Jianping facilitated the activities of organized crime groups, using his official position to support illegal operations.
The death sentence was handed down in 2022 and was upheld on appeal in 2024.
The execution of Li Jianping became another example of China's tough anti-corruption policy, which is carried out by the government under the leadership of the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping. The campaign, which has been going on for more than a decade, is aimed at eradicating corruption in the highest echelons of power and returning illegally appropriated state funds.
This case highlights the determination of the Chinese authorities in the fight against corruption and shows that even high-ranking officials cannot escape severe punishment for their actions.
