One more faces the Xi hammer? Lieutenant General He Weidong, the second-ranked vice chairman of the Central Military Commission in China’s military hierarchy, is reportedly facing a corruption probe. According to a Financial Times report on the 11th, citing unnamed sources, he was recently removed from his role and is being investigated for alleged graft. Some reports claim he is currently in custody for questioning. As vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, He Weidong held one of the military’s top positions, overseeing the 2 million-strong People’s Liberation Army and supporting President Xi Jinping, who chairs both the Party and state Central Military Commissions.
Lieutenant General He Weidong (何衛東), the third in command of the Chinese military, is reportedly under investigation for corruption allegations.
Appointed to the Party’s Central Military Commission in October 2022 and to the state equivalent in March 2023 alongside Zhang Youxia, He was considered a close ally of Xi. Rumors of his detention surfaced after he was absent from public appearances following the National People’s Congress closing session last month. China’s Ministry of Defense declined to comment, stating it had “no information to share.”
If confirmed, He’s removal would be the first investigation of a sitting senior military leader since 1989, when then-vice chairman Zhao Ziyang was ousted during the Tiananmen Square protests for backing pro-democracy students.
Observers suggest Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive within the military is intensifying. Neil Thomas, a Chinese politics expert at the Asia Society Policy Institute, remarked that targeting a Central Military Commission vice chairman demonstrates Xi’s resolve to root out corruption in the armed forces. He noted that the PLA is critical to maintaining the Communist Party’s grip on power, particularly amid economic challenges stemming from U.S.-China trade tensions.
The others who faced the hammer!
Over the past few years, China has seen a significant number of high-profile removals of defense-related officers and political leaders, often linked to President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaigns, political purges, or efforts to consolidate power. While exact figures vary depending on definitions and sources, here’s a synthesized overview based on available information:
- Defense-Related Officers:
- Since 2023, at least 15 high-ranking military officers and defense industry executives have been removed, with a notable focus on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force and procurement sectors. Key examples include:
- Li Shangfu, former Defense Minister, sacked in October 2023 after a two-month absence, later expelled from the Communist Party in June 2024 for corruption.
- Wei Fenghe, another former Defense Minister, also expelled in June 2024 for similar charges.
- Li Yuchao and Xu Zhongbo, senior Rocket Force generals, replaced in July 2023 after disappearing from public view.
- Three defense industry leaders—Liu Shiquan, Wu Yansheng, and Wang Changqing—were removed from the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in December 2023, reportedly tied to a procurement investigation.
- Other unnamed senior officials from the PLA’s procurement unit, linked to Li Shangfu’s tenure (2017–2022), have also faced investigations.
- From 2013 to 2024, Xi’s broader anti-corruption drive targeted hundreds of PLA officers, with estimates suggesting over 100 generals investigated or disciplined by 2017 alone, though not all were removed. The Rocket Force and equipment procurement have been focal points due to their susceptibility to graft.
- Since 2023, at least 15 high-ranking military officers and defense industry executives have been removed, with a notable focus on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force and procurement sectors. Key examples include:
- Political Leaders:
- Beyond the military, several senior political figures have been removed, often without clear explanations:
- Qin Gang, Foreign Minister, was dismissed in July 2023 after a month-long absence, stripped of his State Councilor title in October 2023.
- Xiao Yaqing, former Industry Minister, vanished for 21 days in 2022 before being investigated for corruption.
- Other mid-level officials, like former Guizhou party secretary and Bank of China party committee members, were disciplined in 2023 under the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
- Estimates of political removals are harder to pin down, but dozens of senior and mid-level cadres have been disciplined annually since Xi’s anti-corruption campaign began in 2012, with hundreds of thousands of officials investigated across all sectors by 2020.
- Beyond the military, several senior political figures have been removed, often without clear explanations:
- Total Estimate:
- For defense-related officers, a conservative figure for high-profile removals since 2022 is 20–30, including generals, defense ministers, and industry executives. Including lower ranks, the number could reach hundreds.
- For political leaders, high-profile cases number around 10–15 since 2022, but broader purges (including provincial and mid-level officials) likely involve thousands annually, per state media reports on anti-corruption efforts.
Mysterious Deaths
There is no confirmed evidence of defense-related officers or political leaders being killed in mysterious circumstances in recent years. Most cases involve disappearances followed by official announcements of investigations, dismissals, or expulsions, often tied to corruption or “serious violations of discipline.” However, the opacity of China’s system fuels speculation:
Notable Cases Without Death Reports:
- Li Shangfu and Qin Gang disappeared for weeks before their removals were announced, with no indication of death. Li was accused of corruption, while Qin’s fate remains unclear beyond his dismissal.
- Li Yuchao, Xu Zhongbo, and other Rocket Force officers vanished from public view but were replaced without reports of deaths.
- Historical cases, like the 2017 claim of a PLA general committing suicide during a corruption probe, are rare and unverified in recent years.
Speculation vs. Evidence:
- Rumors of foul play often arise due to China’s lack of transparency. For instance, Li Shangfu’s absence in 2023 sparked unconfirmed reports of house arrest or worse, but state media later confirmed his expulsion for corruption.
- Unlike historical purges (e.g., Mao’s era, where executions were documented), Xi’s campaigns emphasize legal proceedings, public shaming, or exile over physical elimination. No credible reports confirm mysterious deaths for senior figures since 2022.
- A 2017 New York Times report noted 20 CIA sources were killed or imprisoned in China from 2010–2012, but this involved espionage, not internal purges, and is unrelated to recent leadership removals.
High-profile suicides, like that of a Huarong executive in 2021, are occasionally reported but not classified as mysterious, as they align with legal proceedings. Approximately 20–30 defense-related officers (senior level) and 10–15 political leaders (high-profile) have been removed since 2022, with broader purges affecting thousands across ranks. The PLA Rocket Force and procurement sectors have been hit hardest, alongside select political elites. There are no confirmed cases of defense officers or political leaders dying in mysterious circumstances in this period. Disappearances are common but typically resolve with announcements of corruption charges or dismissals. Speculation persists due to secrecy, but evidence points to bureaucratic purges rather than lethal outcomes. Lieutenant General He Weidong is the latest in the list.