Major Shake-Up in China’s Military Leadership as Top Officials Purged

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has experienced a significant purge, with several high-ranking military officials and political figures reportedly removed from their positions and taken into custody.

Commander of the Western Theater Command Wang Haijiang, Minister of the Training and Administration Department of the Central Military Commission Wang Peng, Commander of the Eastern Theater Command Navy Wang Zhongcai, and Commander of the 73rd Group Army Ding Laifu are among the military leaders affected. Additionally, two influential political figures, Xiao Pei, Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Deputy Director of the National Supervisory Commission, and Wang Huimin, Head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection’s Discipline Inspection Team at the China Securities Regulatory Commission, have also been targeted for investigation.

The purge appears to reflect escalating internal political struggles within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Zhao Lanjian, a former Chinese journalist known for his coverage of the arrest of He Weidong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, first reported the development.

The 73rd Group Army, formerly the 31st Army, has historically been regarded as a loyalist force to President Xi Jinping. Stationed in Xiamen City, where Xi once served as deputy mayor, the army has been considered a critical force in potential cross-strait conflict scenarios due to its proximity to Taiwan.

Several military figures with ties to the 31st Army — including He Weidong, Miao Hua, Director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission, Lin Xiangyang, Commander of the Eastern Theater Command, and Wang Xiubin, former Commander of the Southern Theater Command — have faced purges or are rumored to be under investigation.

The removal of these figures, many of whom are seen as Xi Jinping’s close allies, suggests a potential weakening of Xi’s influence within the military. Observers speculate that this power shift could lead to Xi’s possible departure from leadership before the Fourth Plenary Session of the CCP, raising questions about the future stability of his administration and the direction of China’s military strategy.