In a recent revelation, Tang Renjian, the former Party Secretary and Minister of the Chinese Communist Party’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve in September 2025 for corruption scandals, including engaging in illicit activities through antique dealers. Tang Renjian had previously undertaken diplomatic missions in the capacity of special envoy of the CCP leader, Xi Jinping.
Tang Renjian, born in August 1962 in Chongqing, had held various high-ranking positions within the party, including Vice Director of the Office of the Central Finance and Economics Leading Group, Vice Director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, member of the Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Vice Director of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, Deputy Secretary and Governor of Gansu Province, and Secretary and Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
On January 11, 2026, a special anti-corruption program titled “Never Stop, Never Retreat” produced by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the National Supervisory Commission, and China Central Television began airing. The first episode featured Tang Renjian, the former Party Secretary and Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, openly confessing his wrongdoings.
It was reported that during his tenure as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tang Renjian established a WeChat group named “Happy Weekend,” comprising not only his immediate family but also various business owners. He arranged for his son to open an exclusive membership restaurant near the ministry offices, where these business owners could recharge their cards and socialize over the weekends, with Tang covering the expenses while the benefits were attributed to his son’s name.
Given Tang Renjian’s involvement in rural affairs and poverty alleviation, his corrupt practices were linked to these sectors, reflecting a common phenomenon of corruption within the CCP’s officialdom.
Throughout his career in the agricultural sector, Tang Renjian’s financial gains were closely tied to agricultural projects. Out of the 37 projects he intervened in, 27 were related to agriculture.
According to reports, the bribery network in Tang Renjian’s case mainly revolved around his social circle, where numerous requests and agreements regarding benefits were made over dining and gaming tables.
One of the key figures in Tang Renjian’s corruption scandal was a Beijing antique dealer named Li Yong, who cultivated a close friendship with Tang by involving him in antique market visits and gifting him collectibles. Li Yong also provided Tang with a discreet venue for social gatherings by renting an apartment wherever Tang was stationed, effectively using his antique business as a cover for their illicit transactions.
Li Yong was tasked by Tang Renjian to sell 90 alleged “antiques” at exorbitant prices to a businessman named Wang, only for these items to be later revealed as modern craft pieces upon appraisal.
Following Xi Jinping’s ascent to power, Tang Renjian experienced multiple promotions and held significant positions. In July 2023, Tang Renjian, serving as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, attended the inauguration ceremony of Micronesian President Wesley Simina in Palikir as a special envoy of Xi Jinping.
In May 2024, Tang Renjian was placed under investigation during his tenure as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, leading to his expulsion from the party and transfer to judicial authorities in November of the same year. On September 28, 2025, Tang Renjian was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.
One noteworthy aspect of Tang Renjian’s downfall is that he became the first member of the 20th Central Committee to be officially announced as having fallen from grace.
According to official reports, between 2007 and 2024, during his tenures at various Chinese Communist Party offices and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tang Renjian had illegally accepted over 268 million yuan in bribes from entities and individuals seeking his assistance in matters related to business operations, project contracts, and personnel adjustments.