During a sensitive period of personnel changes within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military, Defense Minister Dong Jun was recently reported to be absent from the Shangri-La Dialogue scheduled to be held in Singapore at the end of this month, sparking speculation. However, just yesterday (May 23), he made a high-profile appearance meeting with senior Thai military officials and was featured in a video report by state media. In contrast, a higher-ranked CCP Military Commission member and Chief of the Joint Staff Department, Liu Zhenli, met with Thai officials with only a brief written report. Analysts believe that the extensive coverage of Dong Jun’s appearance is a deliberate move by the CCP to dispel rumors.
On May 23, the CCP state media Xinhua News Agency reported on Dong Jun’s meeting with the highest commander of the Thai military, Song Wei, in Beijing that day. The article consisted of three paragraphs detailing the statements of Dong Jun and Song Wei, while CCTV specifically released a video of the meeting. In contrast, the previous day, Liu Zhenli, a CCP Military Commission member and Chief of the Joint Staff Department, met with Song Wei, but this encounter was only briefly reported with no accompanying images.
In response to this, former CCP Navy Lieutenant Colonel Yao Cheng expressed on platform X that this indicates intense internal conflicts within the CCP.
The two previous Chinese defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were investigated in 2023. Since assuming the position of defense minister at the end of 2023, Dong Jun has not been promoted to CCP Central Military Commission member or State Councilor as is customary. Reports have also surfaced linking him to the investigation of Central Military Commission member Miao Hua.
Miao Hua, who hails from the Fujian 31st Group Army, has long been considered a close associate of Xi Jinping, with many observers believing him to be a supporter of the Navy Admiral Dong Jun.
On November 28 last year, Yao Cheng revealed on a self-media channel that after being summoned, Dong Jun and others provided testimonies that were unfavorable to Miao Hua, leading to them being temporarily spared.
Recently, Dong Jun has been making frequent public appearances, including visits to France and attendance at the 6th Ministerial Conference of the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in Germany, but negative news continues to surface intermittently.
On May 19, the British media Financial Times cited sources stating that Dong Jun would be absent from the upcoming “Shangri-La Dialogue” in Singapore on May 30, with other defense officials attending in his place. Given that the attendance of the Chinese defense minister at such meetings is customary, Dong Jun’s absence is deemed unusual.
Political commentator Li Linyi told Epoch Times that Dong Jun’s high-profile meeting with senior Thai military officials and the elevated media coverage indicate a deliberate effort by the CCP to dispel rumors, possibly suggesting a successful split from Miao Hua. However, the future safety of Dong Jun remains to be observed. As for Liu Zhenli’s brief report on meeting the same individual, it may be related to the discussions involving military secrets. “As the defense minister, Dong Jun is merely engaging in diplomatic formalities. Despite his high-profile appearances, the lack of promotion to the Military Commission and State Council signifies his continued lack of success and being manipulated as a mere pawn.”