China Sentences Sons of Two Shanghai Officials to Death for Delinquency

HONG KONG — China has sentenced to death two sons of senior Shanghai officials as part of a campaign against corruption, a Hong Kong newspaper said Friday.

The pro-Peking Ta Kung Pao also reported that children of Politburo member Hu Qiaomu and two military leaders were under investigation while a former deputy mayor of Peking was on trial for economic crimes.

The daily said sons of Hu Lijiao, chairman of Shanghai’s Municipal Peoples Congress, and Chen Qiwu, a former propaganda chief for the city’s Communist Party, were sentenced to death for delinquency. Further details of their crimes were not given but it said appeals had been rejected.

The daily said a son of Hu Qiaomu was being questioned but it did not elaborate. Children of Gen. Ye Fei and retired Adm. Xiao Jinguang were also under investigation.

China’s rulers have exposed many cases of official abuse in what Western diplomats say is an effort to show they intend to weed out corrupt party officials.