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OPINION JUNE 05, 2026 | The Indian Eye 11

disciplinary corruption (violations of
social norms and dereliction of duty)
that harm the public interest. In Chi-
na, guanxi (social network) is a major
channel of corruption, particularly in
the military. Guanxi is an informal
channel based on personal relation-
ships among individuals, which cre-
ates obligations that lead to a contin-
ual exchange of favours.
The guanxi network plays an
important role in Chinese military
corruption in various forms, such as
the buying and selling of official posts
and rent-seeking. Luo Yuan, a retired
PLA Major General, observed that “it
is demoralising for active troops to see
some people obtain abnormal promo-
tions because of their links to senior
leaders”. In the defence procurement
process, enterprises embedded within
these networks often reap substantial
profits through irregular means, such
as rigged internal bidding and target-
ed procurement.
Since 1980, successive regimes in
China have launched anti-corruption Wei Fenghe, currently 72, joined the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in 1970 at age 16. He has largely served in the PLA Second Artillery
campaigns characterised by intensi-
fied law enforcement. and PLA Rocket Force (File Photo)
However, these campaigns
failed to effectively check corruption. 2023 aimed to remove Zhang Youxia Chief of Staff of the CMC Joint Staff CONCLUSION
With Xi Jinping in power since 2012, and his faction, who were accused of Department, and both were sent for
the anti-corruption campaign has “forming cliques” and abusing their investigation in January 2026. Three ith the removal and pros-
been unprecedentedly far-reaching power in military decision-making. months later, in May 2026, the death ecution of Zhang Youxia
and has charged government officials In the case of Wei Fenghe and sentences handed down to Wei Feng- Wand his faction from the
at all levels. Now, it operates through Li Shangfu, some analysts are of the he and Li Shangfu, instilling fear CMC and the Chinese military, Xi
regular inspections of sub-national view that it is not merely a case of among serving senior officers, are Jinping is in full authority over the
governments, central ministries and corruption but rather the result of seen as an act by Xi Jinping to estab- CMC and the PLA. It is likely that
bureaus, state-owned enterprises, an internal power struggle within the lish his authority within the military. in the near future, all remaining po-
and all military branches. Communist Party of China (CPC). Amid ongoing factional rival- sitions at the CMC will be filled by Xi
Though corruption under Xi They suggest that the downfall, in- ry since 2023, an unusual situation Jinping’s men. Xi Jinping has used
Jinping has declined significantly vestigation and prosecution of Wei has arisen in the military’s top lead- the anti-corruption drives since 2012
compared to the past, the regime has Fenghe and Li Shangfu is the result ership, with five of the seven posi- to frame and purge his rivals.
often used ‘corruption’ as a tool to of infighting within the military’s tions on the CMC remaining vacant. The death sentences for former
frame and purge rivals within its sys- top echelon. Analyst Wang You- Moreover, the Party has made no defence ministers Wei Fenghe and
tem. For instance, in the first round qun suggests that with Xi Jinping’s attempts to fill these positions. It is Li Shangfu will serve as a strong de-
of the anti-corruption drive initiated backing, General He Weidong, then inferred that, with Zhang Youxia and terrent to all serving military officers
in 2012, while a significant number of Vice-Chairman of the CMC and his associate Liu Zhenli in positions against disloyalty to Xi Jinping.
corrupt military officers were prose- General Miao Hua, then director at the CMC, Xi Jinping was cautious Dr. Abhishek Kumar Darbey stud-
cuted, most of the senior-level officers of the CMC Political Department, about appointing his men to these ies China Military that covers signifi-
prosecuted were Xi Jinping’s rivals, manoeuvred to oust Li Shangfu and, vacant posts because two of his con- cant activities of China’s Armed Forces,
such as Xu Caihou, Guo Boxiong and in the process, Wei Fenghe as well. fidants, He Weidong and Miao Hua, and China’s defence & security issues
Fang Fenghui. In the first round of the Their ultimate objective was to top- had already been framed and purged in foreign and domestic affairs for more
anti-corruption drive, it seems that Xi ple Zhang Youxia, thereby allowing by Zhang Youxia. than a decade.
Jinping was in control because none He Weidong to assume the role of Xi appointed Dong Jun as the His research interests also include
of his confidants was prosecuted. First-ranking Vice Chairman of the new defence minister but kept him China-Africa relations and the Chinese
However, the second round of CMC and Miao Hua to become the away from the CMC, perhaps to pro-
the anti-corruption drive initiated in second-ranking Vice Chairman of tect him from Zhang Youxia’s influ- language, literature, history and culture.
2023 resulted in the prosecution of the CMC, creating a power-sharing ence and attack. Now, with Zhang Views expressed are of the author and
two of Xi Jinping’s closest confidants, triumvirate in military leadership. Youxia and his faction’s removal do not necessarily reflect the views of
indicating that the drive was not fully Subsequently, Zhang Youxia, from the CMC, it can be presumed the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
under the leader’s control. The first having been backed into a corner, that in the near future, Xi Jinping Government of India.
round of the anti-corruption drive in launched a counter-attack, resulting will appoint his men to fill the five va-
2012 primarily aimed to purge Guo in the removal of He Weidong and cated posts of the CMC. Therefore, The full version of this article first ap-
Boxiong, the former vice-chairman of Miao Hua. As the fight within the the declaration of death sentences peared in the Comments section of the
the CMC, and his faction, and to take top leadership intensified, Xi Jinping announced in early May was the final website (www.idsa.in) of Manohar Par-
full control of the PLA. The second targeted Zhang Youxia and his confi- warning for all serving military offi- rikar Institute for Defense Studies and
round of the anti-corruption drive in dant Liu Zhenli, a CMC member and cers to remain ‘loyal’ to Xi Jinping. Analyses, New Delhi, on May 26, 2026

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