China is tightening the screws once again at the very top of its military establishment. A new corruption probe has swept up some of the country’s most senior officers — including one of the highest-ranking generals in the People’s Liberation Army. The move marks another chapter in a long-running campaign that has reshaped the Chinese political landscape and strengthened Xi Jinping’s control over the armed forces. But this latest wave raises deeper questions: Why now, and what does it reveal about the state of China’s military?
A High-Profile General Falls From View
The most striking figure in the investigation is General He Weidong, until recently one of China’s most powerful military leaders. As vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) — the body that oversees China’s armed forces — he ranked just behind Xi Jinping in the military hierarchy.
Yet He vanished from public life months ago. He was notably missing from the massive September 3 military parade in Beijing commemorating the end of World War II in Asia — an absence that immediately raised eyebrows among analysts and diplomats watching China’s elite.
For the first time, Beijing has now confirmed his downfall. According to Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang, nine senior officers are under investigation by the CMC’s discipline inspectors, with He Weidong topping the list. In China, being named publicly is often the final sign that a figure has been politically erased.
Xi Jinping’s Anticorruption Drive Sweeps the Ranks
Since taking power in 2012, Xi Jinping has pursued what state media calls an “unprecedented” crackdown on corruption. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has removed hundreds of high-ranking officials — in the civilian government, the Communist Party, and especially the military.
Beijing frames the campaign as essential for cleaning up graft and ensuring loyalty within the armed forces. And corruption has long been a documented challenge in the PLA, with past scandals involving procurement fraud, promotions-for-sale schemes, and misuse of military land. Studies by institutions such as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace have highlighted how corruption can undermine operational readiness and strategic modernization.
But critics argue the purge also serves a political purpose: eliminating rivals and consolidating Xi’s personal command over a military increasingly central to China’s ambitions abroad.
Why This Case Matters Now
He Weidong’s removal is significant not only because of his rank but also because of its timing. China has been accelerating military modernization, raising tensions in the South China Sea, and deepening its strategic rivalry with the United States. Any major shake-up at the top signals internal turbulence at a sensitive moment.
It also follows a string of abrupt dismissals in the aerospace and missile forces — including commanders linked to China’s nuclear arsenal — raising speculation among experts about deeper structural issues within the PLA.
As Beijing pushes to build what Xi calls a “world-class military” by mid-century, the leadership appears determined to stamp out behavior it views as disloyal, inefficient, or politically risky.
A Purge With Global Implications
Whenever China reshuffles military leadership behind closed doors, the rest of the world pays close attention. As the U.S. Department of Defense has repeatedly noted in its annual reports, understanding internal PLA dynamics is essential to evaluating China’s strategic posture.
This new purge reinforces a familiar pattern: sweeping removals at the top, limited transparency, and a strong message of discipline directed at the ranks. What remains unclear, however, is how deep the issues run — and whether this marks the end of the cleanup or the beginning of another round.
For now, one thing is certain: China’s military is being reshaped from the inside out, and the consequences may ripple well beyond Beijing.
