The Political Earthquake Shaking China’s Central Military Commission
Xi Jinping’s Iron Fist: The Massive Corruption Crackdown Rocking the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
Think for a moment about your own workplace. Now, imagine if the CEO the person who signs off on everything suddenly fires your department’s vice-president, the second-in-command, and eight other senior managers, all just days before the biggest board meeting of the year. Can you imagine the chaos? The silence? The sheer terror?
Let’s be honest: That’s the political temperature in Beijing right now.
In a move that sends shockwaves through China’s elite political and military circles, President Xi Jinping has intensified his decade-long anti-corruption drive, publicly expelling General He Weidong, the second vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), and eight other high-ranking officers. This is not just a crackdown; it’s a political earthquake targeting the very top of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The expulsion of a Politburo member and the nation’s second-highest-ranked military leader a man who had essentially vanished from public view since March is unprecedented in modern Chinese politics. It signals that even the most powerful positions offer no immunity when President Xi Jinping decides to clean house.
The Hammer Falls: Who Was Purged and Why?
The official announcement from the Defense Ministry, delivered by spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang, was swift and uncompromising. The officers were dismissed from both the military and the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) for “serious violations of discipline and law.” The severity of the alleged crimes, involving “particularly huge amounts” of money, demonstrates a systemic rot that Xi is determined to excise.
The Two Most Prominent Casualties
- General He Weidong: As Vice Chairman of the CMC, He was second only to Xi Jinping himself in the military chain of command. His expulsion marks a historical first: the removal of a sitting Politburo member on corruption grounds under Xi. His sudden disappearance fueled months of speculation, and now we won’t see him at the upcoming Party meetings.
- General Miao Hua: The former head of the CMC’s Political Work Department, Miao was already under investigation. His formal expulsion is a clear signal of the Party’s zero-tolerance policy extending deeply into the military’s political and ideological apparatus.
The other seven generals implicated span key divisions from the PLA Army and Navy to the vital Rocket Force (which manages the nuclear arsenal) and the People’s Armed Police. This shows the corruption isn’t isolated; it’s a cancer spread throughout China’s defense establishment.
The Dual Purpose: Corruption or Consolidation?
President Xi has consistently framed his anti-graft campaign as a necessary measure to ensure the Party’s survival. Here’s the funny part: While the public applauds the crackdown on “tigers and flies” (big and small corrupt officials), analysts universally agree that this campaign serves a crucial dual purpose.
The Official Narrative: Combat-Ready and Pure
From the government’s perspective, the objective is straightforward: a corrupt military is a weak military. Bribes in promotions or shady procurement deals involving defense modernization directly undermine the PLA’s combat effectiveness.
- Purity: Xi sees corruption as an existential threat a corrosive force that erodes the Party’s moral authority and public trust.
- Unity: By rigorously enforcing discipline, the Party ensures that the military is unified and solely loyal to the central leadership, making it a reliable tool for national goals, whether they involve technological independence or regional strategy.
The Political Reality: Sidelining Rivals and Securing Loyalty
Critics argue that every major purge, including this one, has the convenient effect of sidelining potential rivals or high-ranking officers whose loyalty may be questioned. Let’s be honest: Removing officials from the Politburo and the CMC doesn’t just eliminate graft; it creates crucial vacancies.
This latest move comes right before the Fourth Plenum (a key Communist Party session). Removing nine senior officials clears the path for Xi to appoint his most trusted associates to key decision-making roles, thereby cementing his political control over the army and the entire Party apparatus ahead of discussions on the country’s economic and strategic goals through 2030.
The purge is a powerful analogy: it is Xi wielding a sharp sword, cutting away not just rotten wood, but any branch that might cast a shadow over his absolute authority.
The Timing is Everything: Before the Fourth Plenum
Why make such a dramatic announcement just days before a major leadership meeting?
The Fourth Plenum is a highly anticipated political event where the Central Committee will discuss long-term strategic plans. For a Communist Party plenum to be successful, the leadership must present a united front. The removal of the expelled members ensures two things:
- Orderly Transition: It allows the Party to formally expel the disgraced officials and fill their seats on the Central Committee with loyal replacements. This avoids the disruptive spectacle of the personnel decisions being made during the Plenum itself.
- Strategic Focus: By demonstrating decisiveness on the internal “threat of corruption,” Xi clears the air, allowing the Plenum to focus entirely on external threats and economic policies, such as economic resilience and accelerating military capacity.
This is not the first time Xi has demonstrated this ruthless efficiency. The expulsion of former Defence Minister Li Shangfu in 2023, after only seven months on the job, set a stark precedent: nobody is too senior to fall.
FAQs on China’s Military Purge
Q1: What is the Central Military Commission (CMC)?
The CMC is the highest military decision-making body in China. It is the command center for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and other armed forces. Crucially, the CMC is chaired by President Xi Jinping, cementing the Party’s control over the military, reinforcing the principle that “the Party commands the gun.”
Q2: Is this corruption campaign targeting only the military?
No. President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign, which began in 2012, has targeted all levels of the Party, government, and state-owned enterprises. However, the intensity of the purges within the military since 2023, including the removal of two Defence Ministers and numerous generals from the powerful Rocket Force, suggests a specific, urgent focus on ensuring the loyalty and integrity of the PLA leadership.
Q3: What is the significance of the Fourth Plenum?
The Fourth Plenum is a key, high-level meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. It is where China’s top officials finalize the country’s most important strategic objectives in this case, focusing on the country’s economic trajectory, technological self-reliance, and national security goals for the coming years.
The Conclusion: Loyalty Over Rank
The expulsion of China’s number two general is a stark, brutal reminder of the ultimate rule of politics in China: loyalty to the leader trumps rank, experience, or even past alliance. President Xi Jinping is prioritizing ideological purity and absolute control above all else, seeing it as the only way to safeguard the Party and achieve his vision of a powerful, modernized China.
As the Fourth Plenum approaches, the message is chillingly clear for every official in Beijing: Serve the people, or serve the Party but first and foremost, serve the Chairman. Don’t forget it.
