Roving Periscope: Sensing trouble within, President Xi sacks PLA’s No 2
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Ever since he got the Communist Party scrap the two-term limit on his presidency in 2018, effectively allowing him to remain in power for life, an insecure Chinese President Xi Jinping has been sacking hundreds of officers at different levels of his government on “corruption” charges to shield his own office from a potential rebellion. He has thrown out scores of officers from defense and diplomacy as well.
The latest officer to taste this Xi medicine is General He Weidong, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s second-highest-ranking officer and the Chinese Military Commission (CMC)’s Vice-Chair. He has now become the seniormost military official in uniform purged in China since 1967, according to media reports.
General He was purged in recent weeks, although no official announcement has been made in Beijing. His absence from key public events had already raised concerns — including skipping a high-profile politburo meeting and President Xi’s annual tree-planting ceremony, both of which he attended last year.
General He, a member of the Communist Party’s Politburo, was considered one of the most influential figures in Chinese politics and defence. His career has been closely tied to China’s military modernisation efforts. He held key positions in the PLA, including those related to strategic and operational planning.
His abrupt removal follows that of another CMC member, Miao Hua, who was suspended last year for “serious violations of discipline” — a phrase typically used to signal corruption charges.
The media reported that He is being interrogated by authorities. His removal is seen as part of President Xi’s efforts to cleanse the military ranks and tighten his grip over the armed forces, especially at a time of heightened internal and geopolitical pressures and plummeting economy.
Xi Jinping launched a sweeping anti-corruption drive soon after becoming President in 2012. Also dubbed the ‘clean government’ initiative, his campaign aims to root out corruption at all levels of government. The anti-corruption campaign has allowed Xi to consolidate power by removing rivals and strengthening control over the Communist Party.
Under this initiative, China’s military leadership has undergone significant restructuring, with several top generals and officials investigated — including former leaders of the PLA Rocket Force and the CMC. This is especially significant as the military has historically been a major source of power in China.
Over the past two years, President Xi has overhauled key posts in the PLA Rocket Force — the unit responsible for China’s nuclear arsenal — and dismissed two successive defence ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu.
The President also abruptly fired the then foreign minister Qin Gang, a once-trusted aide, in a move that rattled diplomatic circles. Although current defence minister Dong Jun had also faced scrutiny, he appears to have weathered the storm, resurfacing this week in a meeting with Pakistan’s Air Force chief.
