China sentences former CSRC vice president Wang Jianjun to life in prison

Wang Jianjun, the former vice president of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), has been sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery. A court in Weifang, Shandong province, found that Wang accepted bribes totaling more than 93.4 million yuan (approximately $14 million) between 2005 and September 2019.

The court determined that Wang used his various positions at the regulator to favor specific companies and individuals in matters involving stock listings, corporate financing, and contract awards. The ruling noted that the scale of the bribes was ‘especially elevated’ and caused ‘especially grave losses’ to state interests and the public.

Wang, 57, previously served as the head of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. While the court acknowledged mitigating factors—including his confession, expression of remorse, and cooperation with investigators—the severity of the corruption led to the life sentence. This legal action is part of the ongoing anti-corruption campaign led by President Xi Jinping.