China hands former Shanxi governor suspended death sentence over corruption

BEIJING, Sept 8 - A Chinese court on Tuesday handed Jin Xiangjun, former governor of the coal-producing province of Shanxi, a death sentence with a two-year reprieve over corruption, and found that he illegally accepted over 148 million yuan ($22.05 million).• Jin took advantage of his positions in a series of senior local posts across a number of Chinese cities and provinces from 2004 to 2025 and "provided assistance to relevant organisations and individuals in matters including business operations, project contracting and job promotions," a court in the central Chinese province of Henan said in a statement.• He accepted over 148 million yuan in money and assets in return, the court's first-instance judgement showed.• Jin was put under investigation by the country's anti-graft watchdog in April 2025.• The suspended death sentence in Chinese law gives the accused a two-year reprieve from being executed, after which it is typically converted to life imprisonment.• Jin admitted guilt and expressed remorse during the proceedings, the court said.• The court has also deprived him of political rights for life and ordered the confiscation of all his personal property. REUTERS