On the eve of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), nine senior generals, including He Weidong, a member of the CCP’s Politburo and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, were reported to have been expelled from the party and the military. As all of them were promoted to generals by Xi Jinping, this news has sparked ridicule among netizens.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense announced today (October 17th) that He Weidong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Miao Hua, former director of the political work department of the military commission, among nine others, are suspected of serious crimes in their duties involving “particularly large amounts”, and have been given the punishment of expulsion from the party. The Central Military Commission had previously expelled nine of them from the military.
The nine individuals stripped of their party and military ranks are He Weidong, Miao Hua, He Hongjun (Deputy Director of the Military Commission’s Political Work Department), Wang Xiubin (Deputy Director of the Joint Operations Command Center of the Military Commission), Lin Xiangyang (Commander of the Eastern Theater Command), Qin Shutong (Political Commissar of the Army), Yuan Huazhi (Political Commissar of the Navy), Wang Houbin (Commander of the Rocket Force), and Wang Chunning (Commander of the People’s Armed Police Forces). They are accused of serious violations of the CCP’s discipline, suspected of committing serious crimes in their duties with particularly large amounts, extremely serious nature, and extremely adverse impact.
The aforementioned nine generals, except for Wang Houbin who was promoted to Commander of the Rocket Force in 2023, are all members of the 20th Central Committee and will need to be confirmed at the upcoming Fourth Plenary Session. It is worth noting that all nine of them were personally promoted to generals by Xi Jinping, and have been continuously promoted since Xi came to power. Many of them, including He Weidong, Miao Hua, and Lin Xiangyang, come from Xi Jinping’s faction, the former 31st Group Army stationed in Fujian.
Overseas discussions on platform X are varied:
“It’s obvious they failed in a rebellion, slapped the label of corruption on them and cleared them out.”
“If the top ranks are this corrupt, they will only be greedy for success in battle.”
“Purging ministers – this is the power of the emperor. I feel there is nothing to criticize. Referring to Stalin, from taking office to dying of illness, he was always ‘cleansing’ his subordinates, even during the Soviet-German war.”
“There are already 8 members of the Politburo in the military, with other members included, will the number of candidates promoted at the upcoming Central Committee session set a new record high?”
“Cixi wanted to confront Japan, but Li Hongzhang found the navy rusty, lacking in ammunition, and military preparations were slack.”
“No one can surpass Chairman Xi in handling funeral matters.”
“Anti-corruption is becoming more of a joke.”
“In any organization existing under the name of a nation globally, this level of disgrace is universal, but unfortunately, they feel no shame.”
“Once again proving that rumors are leading indicators of prophecies! The final rumors are likely to come true.”
“Why do I feel the spokesperson this time has a hint of sadness.”
“Setting the stage, the curtain rises, the grand drama has just begun.”
“There are far more generals purged than those killed in battle.”
“Talking fervently, several Vice Chairmen of the Central Military Commission have been brought down, what kind of shape is this military in for war?”
“How much did they embezzle? The people want to know.”
“Internal struggles are intensifying.”
“Xi Jinping has lost his military power, just officially announced. Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang declared Xi Jinping out. Vice Chairman of the Military Commission He Weidong, former Political Director Miao Hua, and the other 9 individuals, part of the anti-party group, are under investigation. Generals promoted by Xi Jinping have been completely wiped out. What will happen to Xi’s close military allies like Cai Qi, Wang Huning, and Wang Xiaohong?”
With Xi Jinping’s close military allies falling one after another, there are conflicting views on whether it is Xi Jinping’s own purge or his faction being attacked by internal enemies.
Dr. Qin Jin, Chairman of the Democratic China Front, previously told Dajiyuan that he does not believe this is Xi’s so-called self-revolution, “Who would willingly cut off their left and right arms? The CCP operates in secrecy, and only when the cards are turned over with a ‘snap’ will we know. Based on analysis, Xi Jinping would not have painstakingly consolidated power only to then cut off his right-hand men; that is impossible.”
An independent commentary by Du Zheng was published in Taiwan’s newspaper “Shang Bao” on October 4th, stating that Xi’s promoted allies are falling one by one, directly weakening Xi Jinping’s authority. Some say Xi is removing his own people, while others say someone else is purging his people, but it seems more like someone is forcing him to take down his own people. Regardless of the scenario, by the time of the Fourth Plenary Session, this will turn the entire Central Committee into a laughing stock, a great humiliation for Xi.