Xi Jinping carried out the largest "purge" among PRC generals in half a century
Kyiv • UNN
PRC Chairman Xi Jinping has launched a large-scale purge among generals, dismissing or arresting 14 of the 79 officers he appointed. This comes after his re-election in 2022 and is aimed at fighting corruption and consolidating power.
The President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, has initiated the largest purge in half a century within the top ranks of the armed forces: out of 79 generals, 14 have already been removed from their positions or arrested. This is reported by Bloomberg, citing data from the US Department of Defense, statements by Xi Jinping and the committee of the National People's Congress, Chinese state media, and opposition media to the Chinese government, as reported by UNN.
Details
According to Bloomberg, the purges began after Xi Jinping's re-election for a third term in 2022. According to the publication, 14 out of 79 generals personally appointed by him have disappeared from public view or are under investigation.
As a result of the purges, only four out of seven members remain in the Central Military Commission (CMC) – the highest collegial body of the Chinese army. The CMC is important not only because it commands the world's largest standing army. The organization is technically controlled by the Communist Party, not the Chinese government, which means it is also key to controlling all 1.4 billion people in China.
It is noted that, first and foremost, the head of the PRC is thus fighting military corruption, as from the first years of his rule, Xi recognized that bribery and the buying of positions posed a threat to the army and the CPC.
Army reform is also a possible reason for the "purges."
Xi aims to make the PLA capable of "fighting and winning wars," particularly against the US or in the event of an armed conflict over Taiwan.
Among those caught in the wave of repression were Deputy Chairman of the CMC He Weidong, against whom a corruption case was allegedly opened. Li Shangfu, former Minister of Defense, and Li Yuchao, former head of the Rocket Force, were also removed. In total, over a dozen generals, as well as heads of defense industry enterprises, have been dismissed in 2 years.
Xi Jinping is not only "fighting corruption" within the top leadership of his own army but also consolidating power for himself. Thus, some positions in the CMC remain vacant, and Xi Jinping himself deliberately conceals "favorites" for positions to keep both allies and rivals in the dark. In China, any topics related to positions in the CMC are censored.
On September 3, a military parade will be held in Beijing to commemorate the end of World War II and Japan's surrender. In the US, intelligence and the Ministry of Defense expect Xi Jinping to appoint generals to vacant positions in the CMC.