 "Corruption in Chinese army continues to haunt Xi Jinping; PLA purge expands")
China has suspended a senior military officer and placed him under investigation for corruption, the Chinese Ministry of Defence reportedly announced, as President Xi Jinping continues his extensive purge of senior generals within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Admiral Miao Hua, a member of the influential Central Military Commission (CMC), China’s highest military body chaired by Xi, is under investigation for "serious violations of discipline", a term often used to refer to corruption, CNN reported on Friday, citing confirmation from Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian at a press briefing.
Miao, 69, is the head of the Political Work Department of the CMC and is regarded as a close ally of Xi. He reportedly served as a political officer in the military in Fujian province during the 1990s and early 2000s when Xi held a local official position there.
The news of Miao’s suspension and investigation follows a report by the Financial Times the previous day, which claimed that China’s Defence Minister, Dong Jun, had also been placed under investigation for corruption, citing US officials. The Chinese Ministry of Defence swiftly rejected the report, calling it "sheer fabrication" and accusing the sources of malicious intent.
Xi has been leading an ongoing campaign against corruption in the PLA since last year, with particular focus on the Rocket Force, a key branch responsible for China’s nuclear and missile arsenal. This anti-corruption drive has resulted in the downfall of several senior officers, including former Defence Minister Li Shangfu and his predecessor Wei Fenghe, who were expelled from the Communist Party in June following corruption allegations.
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The purge of military leadership continues as Xi seeks to strengthen the PLA, making it more combat-ready and assertive in pursuing China’s territorial claims. As part of this effort, China has invested heavily in modernising its military capabilities, including the acquisition and upgrading of advanced equipment.
Since last summer, over a dozen high-ranking military officers and aerospace executives from the military-industrial sector have been removed from their official posts, added the CNN report. Many of those targeted have had ties to the Rocket Force or the military equipment sector, including both Li and Wei, the former defence ministers.
Li’s removal from public life came soon after his appointment, only months into his tenure. His sudden disappearance in the summer, shortly after an unexpected shake-up in the leadership of the Rocket Force, was followed by his ousting in October, with Dong appointed as his successor. No explanation was given for Li’s removal.
According to the CNN report, Miao, the latest senior Chinese military officer to face investigation, is seen as a political patron of Dong, who is also an admiral and previously served as the top commander of the PLA Navy. Miao and Dong both hail from Fujian, Xi’s political power base, added the report. Miao’s rise within the PLA is closely tied to Xi’s ascent to power, with a major promotion in 2014, when he became the political commissar of the PLA Navy during Dong’s tenure as deputy chief of staff. In 2017, Miao was appointed to his current role as the head of the CMC’s Political Work Department.
Since taking office in 2012, Xi has made the fight against corruption and disloyalty a central part of his leadership. According to the CNN report, the ongoing purges within the military suggest that his campaign to consolidate power is far from over.