China jails ex-defence regulator Zhang Jianhua for 10 years
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- Zhang Jianhua was sentenced to 10 years on Aug 5 by a Chinese court for bribery, part of a wider anti-graft shake-up in China's defence sector and military
- Zhang illegally took in over 55 million yuan (S$10.4 million) from 2008 to 2025 during his SASTIND tenure and after retirement, per the first-instance verdict cited by Xinhua
- Zhang leveraged positions including as director of SASTIND's military project review centre to help individuals secure administrative approvals and equity investments
- Zhang served as SASTIND deputy director under Ma Xingrui, who was purged from the Politburo in July; Ma had headed the defence industry regulator in 2013
- Zhang was indicted earlier in 2026 and admitted guilt and expressed remorse in court, according to Xinhua
- Xi Jinping urged senior leaders at a Jul 31 Politburo group study session to deepen the anti-corruption fight in the military
Why it matters: The conviction lands weeks after Ma Xingrui's July ouster from the Politburo — Ma headed SASTIND in 2013 when Zhang served as his deputy — confirming that Xi's military anti-corruption drive is now reaching senior officials who oversaw defence procurement approvals and project reviews.
