He Hongjun, executive deputy director of the Political Work Department of China’s Central Military Commission, reportedly took his own life by hanging while in custody and passed away on Sunday, May 5. Chinese authorities have not yet confirmed the reports.

He Hongjun, originally from the Tibet Military Region, held significant roles such as deputy political commissar of the Western Theater Command and director of the Army’s Political Work Department. In July of the previous year, he was promoted to general by Xi Jinping at Beijing’s Bayi Building.

No official Chinese media has commented on He’s death. Independent commentator Cai Shenkun suggests that, if true, this incident highlights the intense pressure from the Chinese Communist Party’s anti-corruption efforts and the significant political risks within the military’s top ranks. He referenced a similar 2017 case where Zhang Yang, former director of the General Political Department, died by suicide during an investigation, later officially deemed as “suicide out of fear of punishment.”

According to Hong Kong’s Sing Tao Daily, the military’s anti-corruption campaign has continued unabated since the 20th National Congress in 2022. Notably, three of the six Central Military Commission leaders have faced scrutiny: former Defense Minister Li Shangfu, Miao Hua, who lost his National People’s Congress representative status, and Vice Chairman He Weidong, whose prolonged absence from public view has sparked speculation. Despite medical efforts at Beijing’s No. 301 Hospital, He Hongjun passed away on May 18, less than a year after his promotion to general. He had been under investigation since April 20.

Recent years have seen multiple high-profile incidents among PLA generals. Three of the six Central Military Commission members have been investigated or removed, including Li Shangfu, Miao Hua, and He Weidong, whose current status remains uncertain.

The Political Work Department, responsible for propaganda and ideological work in the PLA, is led by 67-year-old Zhang Shengming from Shaanxi. A career political officer and former Rocket Force member, Zhang has headed the CMC’s military disciplinary commission since 2017 and is a key figure in Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign.

Mysterious Deaths

“Mysterious deaths” in China related to Chinese Military have surged in last 2 years. The following cases are noted:

1. He Hongjun (2025): General He Hongjun, executive deputy director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC), reportedly died by suicide while in custody on May 5, 2025. This was less than a year after his promotion to general by Xi Jinping in July 2024.
2. Wu Guohua (2023): A former deputy of the PLA Rocket Force and head of the secretive Third Department, Wu died under mysterious circumstances in July 2023. Official reports cited illness as the cause, but speculation suggested suicide related to work pressures or investigation.
3. Zhang Yang (2017): Although slightly outside the recent timeframe, the case of Zhang Yang, former director of the General Political Department, who died by suicide during a corruption investigation in 2017, is often referenced as a precedent for similar incidents.

These are the most prominently reported mysterious deaths linked to corruption probes in recent years. Other deaths may have occurred but are not well-documented or confirmed in public sources, as Chinese authorities often suppress details.

Dismissals in last few years:

Dismissals in the PLA related to corruption probes, particularly since 2022, have been more numerous and better documented. The anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping has targeted high-ranking officials, especially in the PLA Rocket Force and other sensitive sectors like procurement. Key data points include:

    2023 Purges:

        In December 2023, nine senior military officials were removed from the National People’s Congress (NPC), a step often preceding further disciplinary action due to NPC members’ immunity from prosecution. Five of these were past or current commanders of the PLA Rocket Force.

Three aerospace-defense executives (Wu Yansheng, Liu Shiquan, and Wang Changqing) were stripped of their political titles by the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on December 27, 2023, also linked to corruption probes.Earlier in 2023, notable dismissals included:

    Li Yuchao, Rocket Force Commander, removed in June 2023.

Xu Zhongbo, Rocket Force Political Commissar, removed in June 2023.Liu Guangbin and Zhang Zhenzhong, Rocket Force deputies, also removed in 2023.Li Shangfu, former Defense Minister, dismissed in October 2023 after disappearing for months, with corruption in the Equipment Development Department cited as a likely cause.Wei Fenghe, former Defense Minister and Rocket Force head, vanished and was later expelled from the Communist Party for corruption in June 2024.In total, at least 15 military and defense industry officials were removed in 2023, as reported by sources covering the Rocket Force and broader PLA purges.2024 and 2025 Developments:

    Miao Hua, director of the CMC’s Political Work Department, was confirmed to be under investigation for corruption in November 2024, marking another high-profile case.

A broader estimate from 2013 to 2024 indicates that 126 senior military officers were detained, sacked, or demoted as part of Xi’s anti-corruption campaign, with a significant portion occurring in recent years.In the first half of 2024 alone, 41 provincial- and ministerial-level officials (including military figures) were investigated, though not all were necessarily dismissed.Historical Context (Pre-2022):

    Between 2013 and 2024, the Supervisory Commission and its predecessor punished 6,272,000 party members, with 466,000 individuals convicted on corruption charges, including military officials. While not all were PLA-related, this includes high-profile military figures like Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, former CMC vice-chairs, prosecuted earlier in Xi’s campaign.

In 2015, over 4,000 senior officers (lieutenant colonel or higher, including 82 generals) were investigated, with 242 facing punishment.

    Mysterious Deaths: At least 3 confirmed cases (He Hongjun, Wu Guohua, and Zhang Yang) are explicitly linked to corruption probes in the PLA since 2017, with He Hongjun’s case being the most recent in 2025. Other potential deaths may exist but lack public confirmation.

    Dismissals: Since 2022, at least 20 high-ranking PLA officers and defense industry executives have been dismissed or investigated, based on specific cases like the nine NPC removals in 2023, three CPPCC executives, and figures like Li Shangfu, Wei Fenghe, and Miao Hua. The broader figure of 126 senior military officers from 2013 to 2024 includes earlier purges, with a significant uptick in 2023–2024.