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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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