Xi Moves to Purge Six More Top Generals as China's Military Corruption Scandal Deepens

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Beijing : Chinese President Xi Jinping has initiated the removal of six senior military officers, including commanders overseeing cyberspace operations, logistics and military equipment procurement, as a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown continues to reshape the leadership of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Among those affected is Air Force General Xu Xueqiang, one of China's most senior military officers, who headed the PLA's Equipment Development Department (EDD) and also oversaw the country's manned space programme. The National People's Congress has terminated the memberships of Xu and five other senior officers, a move that typically precedes expulsion from the Communist Party and formal investigation.

The latest purge also targets Zhang Minghua, commander of the Cyberspace Force, and Wang Kangping, who leads the Joint Logistics Support Force. Analysts say the dismissals strike at key pillars of China's military modernisation efforts.

According to data compiled by the China Military Tracker at the Takshashila Institution, Xi has purged at least 104 generals since 2021, including 47 four-star officers, with 62 dismissals occurring in the past year alone.

The Equipment Development Department has emerged as the centre of a widening corruption investigation involving military procurement and major state-owned defence enterprises. 

Analysts say the extensive purge could disrupt military cohesion and modernisation efforts, even as Beijing maintains that the campaign is aimed at eliminating corruption and strengthening the armed forces. The ongoing crackdown has significantly reduced the leadership of China's top military decision-making body, the Central Military Commission, leaving only Xi and Vice-Chairman Zhang Shengmin among its original members.

Pic Credit: AFP