China’s defence minister Dong Jun reportedly under corruption investigation

BEIJING, CHINA:  China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun has reportedly been placed under investigation as part of the country’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, according to a Financial Times report on Wednesday (27 November).

The report, citing current and former US officials, suggests that Dong would be the third consecutive serving or former Chinese defence minister to face corruption allegations.

Since last year, China’s military has undergone a wide-reaching purge aimed at rooting out corruption.

The crackdown has already seen nine senior generals from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and at least four aerospace defence industry executives removed from the national legislative body.

Dong’s investigation signals the continuation of this sweeping effort.

Dong, a former PLA Navy chief, was appointed as Defence Minister in December 2023, following the dismissal of his predecessor, Li Shangfu, who was removed after only seven months in the role.

Dong’s tenure had seen a slight thaw in US-China military relations, including a rare theatre-level commander talk between the two nations in September.

However, Dong declined to meet US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin during a recent defence ministers’ meeting in Laos, citing US actions over Taiwan. Austin later described the refusal as “unfortunate.”

Despite his high-profile position, Dong has not been promoted to China’s top military body, the Central Military Commission (CMC), a key move that would typically be announced during a major Communist Party plenum.

Dong was also not appointed to the State Council during the government’s reshuffle in March this year.

Former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe expelled in June

Earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping has strongly emphasised the need to combat corruption within the military, urging the armed forces to “seriously investigate and address corruption and unhealthy tendencies among officers and soldiers.”

Since coming to power, Xi has spearheaded an extensive anti-corruption campaign targeting misconduct within official ranks, including the military, but critics argue that the efforts also serve to eliminate political rivals under the guise of reform.

Dong’s investigation follows in the wake of high-profile expulsions, including that of Li Shangfu, who was dismissed in October 2024 after an investigation revealed that he had accepted bribes and exploited his position for personal gain.

Li’s ousting was accompanied by a formal expulsion from the Communist Party and a transfer to military prosecutors.

Similarly, Dong’s predecessor, Wei Fenghe, faced charges of corruption and misconduct.

Wei, who served as Defence Minister from 2018 until his retirement in March 2023, was reported by Xinhua to have violated political and organisational discipline, severely damaging the PLA’s credibility.

Both Li and Wei had been key figures in managing China’s strategic defence systems, including overseeing the PLA’s Rocket Force, which controls the country’s nuclear capabilities.

The ongoing purge has extended beyond senior ministers, with numerous senior officers in the Rocket Force also expelled in recent years.

In July, Sun Jinming, a top official within the Rocket Force, was placed under investigation for “grave violations of party discipline and laws,” a common euphemism for corruption-related offences.