Former Hubei leader handed reprieved death sentence for bribery

Former Hubei provincial chief Jiang Chaoliang was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by Nanjing Intermediate People's Court in Jiangsu province on Friday for accepting bribes totaling more than 746 million yuan ($111 million).

Jiang, who was also previously a member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress and vice-chairman of the NPC Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, was convicted of bribery, according to the court's ruling.

He was also deprived of political rights for life and had all his personal assets confiscated. His illicit gains and related proceeds are to be seized and turned over to the State treasury, with any shortfall to be recovered, the court said.

In China, a suspended death penalty is typically commuted to life imprisonment if the inmate commits no new crimes during the two-year probation period. However, in Jiang's case, the court specified that if his sentence is reduced to life imprisonment, he will not be eligible for further sentence reductions or parole, ensuring he spends the rest of his life in prison.

Between 1995 and 2025, Jiang exploited his positions, including Party chief and chairman of the Bank of Communications, deputy Party chief, vice-chairman and president of China Development Bank, Party chief and chairman of the Agricultural Bank of China, deputy Party chief and governor of Jilin province, and Party chief of Hubei province, to benefit relevant departments and individuals in areas including business operations, loan approvals, project contracting and job promotions. In exchange, he accepted bribes totaling over 746 million yuan.

The court found that Jiang's conduct constituted bribery and warranted the death penalty because the amount involved was extremely large and the losses caused to the interests of the country and its people were extremely serious.

However, the court said it decided not to impose the death sentence because Jiang confessed to his crimes, voluntarily disclosed some details of bribery that investigators had not yet uncovered, failed to receive some bribes, reported major offenses committed by others and actively returned illicit gains.

Jiang, 69, a native of Hunan province, began his career in December 1974 and joined the Communist Party of China in May 1981. He spent decades working in the banking sector before moving into political roles in Jilin.

He became governor of Jilin in 2014 and served as Party secretary of Hubei from October 2016.

In 2021, Jiang joined the Standing Committee of the NPC, China's top legislative body. He was a member of the 14th NPC Standing Committee and vice-chairman of the NPC Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

Jiang came under investigation in February 2025. He was expelled from the CPC and dismissed from public office in October that year. He was indicted on bribery charges in March and pleaded guilty at a court hearing on May 28.

A number of senior figures, including national lawmakers and political advisers, attended the trial.