BEIJING – In a stunning escalation of President Xi Jinping's long-running anti-corruption campaign, two of China's most powerful military leaders have been expelled from the ruling Communist Party and the armed forces for "serious violations of discipline and law," the country's defense ministry announced on Friday.
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| Central Military Commission Vice Chairman He Weidong attends the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China March 5, 2025. REUTERS/Florence Lo |
The purge targets General He Weidong, China's second-most senior general, and Admiral Miao Hua, the military's top political officer. Their downfall represents the most significant shake-up of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) leadership since the sweeping anti-graft investigation began targeting its highest echelons in 2023.
The removal of General He is a historically significant event, marking the first time a sitting general on the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) has been purged since the tumultuous Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976. Though he has not been seen in public since March, Chinese authorities had not previously disclosed that he was under investigation.
In a press briefing, defense ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang stated that He, Miao, and seven other unnamed senior military officials "seriously violated Party discipline and are suspected of serious duty-related crimes involving an extremely large amount of money."
The statement added that their offenses were "of a grave nature, with extremely detrimental consequences," signaling the severity of the allegations.
The expulsion of He Weidong, 68, sends shockwaves far beyond the military. As one of two vice-chairmen of the CMC, he was the third-most powerful commander in the entire PLA. Crucially, he also held a coveted seat on the 24-member Politburo, the Communist Party's second-highest circle of power. Until his disappearance, General He had been widely regarded as a close associate and protégé of President Xi Jinping, who is the commander-in-chief of the army.
The timing of the announcement is highly strategic. It comes just days before the Communist Party's Central Committee, an elite body of over 200 senior officials, is scheduled to convene for its highly anticipated Fourth Plenum in Beijing. Such high-profile disciplinary actions often precede major political gatherings, serving as a stark warning to the party elite. It is widely expected that more personnel decisions, including the formal expulsion of other Central Committee members, will be finalized at the meeting.
While the fall of He Weidong is recent, Admiral Miao Hua's troubles have been longer in the making. He was officially removed from his position on the Central Military Commission in June of this year, after it was revealed he had been placed under investigation for "serious violations of discipline" in November 2024.
This latest purge underscores the depth and intensity of Xi's campaign to enforce absolute loyalty and root out corruption within the armed forces, even if it means striking down figures once considered part of his own inner circle.
