The Chinese Communist Party announced it has ousted nine senior military leaders in a large-scale purge within the uppermost ranks of the People’s Liberation Army, including key officers regarded as loyalists of President Xi Jinping.
The purge included one of the PLA’s most senior generals, He Weidong, who was removed several months ago as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, the party organ that controls the military.
Several of the nine ousted officers were previously identified by authorities as under investigation for alleged crimes and corruption, Senior Col. Zhang Xiaogang said in a Defense Ministry statement announcing the firings.
Firings for corruption are not unusual in China. But many of those named in the latest dismissals from the PLA are proteges of Mr. Xi, raising speculation about a possible power struggle within the party.
Officially due to financial crimes, the purge also suggests mounting insecurity by the most powerful CCP leader since Mao Zedong or a lack of trust in the party’s military arm, according to analysts.
The purge also could be part of Mr. Xi’s announced goal of transforming the PLA into a world-class military and his orders to be ready for military action against Taiwan by 2027, the analysts said.
“The investigation revealed that these nine individuals seriously violated Party discipline and were suspected of serious duty-related crimes involving an extremely large amount of money, of an extremely serious nature, and with extremely detrimental consequences,” said Col. Zhang, the ministry spokesman.
