Xi Jinping Holds Secret Military Meeting to Intensify PLA Anti-Corruption Purge
Primary region China
Tags Corruption · Security · Policy
Regions China
President Xi Jinping summoned the sole surviving member of the Central Military Commission for a secret meeting to demand intensified anti-corruption action in the PLA, using the phrase 'crush the termites.' Xi is reportedly frustrated by insufficient results from the ongoing campaign. Former Defense Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were sentenced to death after a 22-month judicial process, with sentences expected to be commuted to life imprisonment. Over 100 senior military officers have been removed since 2022, including Gen. Zhang Youxia, who objected to the elevation of a political investigator. The purge has also targeted officers' families living abroad.
Strategic interpretation
Xi's continued military purge signals deep distrust of the PLA's loyalty and competence, even among officers he personally promoted. The targeting of families abroad suggests Xi views foreign connections as a security vulnerability. While the purge consolidates Xi's personal control, it may degrade military readiness and create institutional instability at a time when Xi has ordered the PLA to be ready for potential Taiwan action by 2027.