China suspends military official Miao Hua in anti-corruption purge, denies Dong Jun probe

BEIJING, CHINA: A high-ranking Chinese military official has been dismissed for “serious violations of discipline,” Beijing announced on Thursday (28 November).

This marks the latest high-ranking figure to fall in the ongoing anti-corruption campaign within the country’s armed forces.

The ruling Chinese Communist Party announced the suspension of Miao Hua (苗华) from his duties pending investigation, as confirmed by Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Defence Ministry.

Wu did not elaborate on the specific charges against Miao, an admiral and member of Beijing’s influential Central Military Commission (CMC).

In China, the term “serious violations of discipline” (严重违纪) is often used as a euphemism for corruption.

Miao was a key member of the CMC, serving alongside President Xi Jinping and leading the Political Work Department.

Miao was seen as a close ally of Xi and a trusted link between the military and the ruling party.

Spokesperson denies corruption investigation Into Defence Minister Dong Jun, calls rumors ‘fabrications’

During the same briefing, Wu dismissed rumors that Defence Minister Dong Jun was under investigation for corruption.

He labeled such reports as “pure fabrications,” condemning those responsible for spreading the rumors.

Earlier reports from the Financial Times suggested Dong, who became Defence Minister in December 2023, might be under investigation.

Former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe expelled in June

His predecessor, Li Shangfu, was removed earlier in 2024 after being accused of bribery and personal exploitation of his position.

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.

Earlier this month, Xi 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.

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.