30-12-2023 (BEIJING) China has ousted nine military officials from its national parliament, including several top strategic missile commanders, as part of a major leadership reshuffle following the recent appointment of a new defense minister.
The removals were announced in state media on Friday after a meeting of the ruling Communist Party’s Central Committee. No explanation was provided for the officials’ sudden dismissal.
But analysts say the purge indicates the officers likely face corruption investigations, continuing months of turmoil within China’s armed forces hierarchy.
Those expelled include five current or former commanders of the People’s Liberation Army’s elite Rocket Force, which oversees China’s nuclear arsenal, as well as a former Air Force commander. The others held senior equipment development roles.
The overhaul comes after former Defense Minister Li Shangfu was himself abruptly sacked in October having disappeared from public view in August. His successor Dong Jun was only named this week, leaving the strategic post vacant for months.
Earlier this year also saw leadership changes in the Rocket Force amid reported probes into its former chief. The series of reshuffles illustrates an ongoing anti-graft drive shaking the foundations of China’s military establishment under Xi Jinping.
As non-elected parliament delegates, the nine ousted officers enjoyed status but no real power. Their removal now strips them of prestige, signaling their downfalls are far from over.
For Xi, reasserting control over China’s powerful armed forces appears to outweigh any potential blowback. But the recurring purges also risk sowing deeper uncertainty within the opaque military at a time of escalating regional tensions.
