Both men are suspected of violating law and discipline, a term commonly used by the Chinese Communist Party to refer to corruption.
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The Chinese government under the Xi Jinping administration suddenly removed two military members from the National Assembly and intensified a thorough purge within the national defense leadership. At a December 25 meeting, China’s highest legislative body, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, revoked the membership of You Haitao and Lieutenant General Li Pengcheng without explanation.
Mr. Yeo previously served as deputy commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Ground Forces, while Vice Admiral Li commanded the Southern Theater Navy, which oversees the disputed South China Sea region. According to Bloomberg, Lieutenant General Lee’s predecessor, Lieutenant General Zhu Xinchun, was expelled from Congress last year.
The legislative body said both men were suspected of violating law and discipline, a term commonly used by the Chinese Communist Party to refer to corruption.
The removal is the latest development in a broader anti-corruption campaign targeting the Chinese military starting in 2023, including the People’s Liberation Army’s equipment procurement force and secret rocket force.
In November, a senior official of China’s top military body, the Central Military Commission, led by President Xi Jinping, was suspended. Days before the MPs’ dismissal, China appointed a new ground military political commissar on December 23, in another unexpected leadership change.
The campaign focuses on Mr. Xi’s continued efforts to tighten controls and address corruption allegations at the top of the military.
How serious is the PLA’s corruption problem?
Corruption within the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is reportedly a serious problem.
Progress toward China’s 2027 military modernization goals may have been hindered, according to the Pentagon’s annual report on China’s military released earlier this month.
These objectives include increasing the rate of modernization of military theory, personnel, weapons, and equipment, as well as accelerating the integration of intelligence, mechanization, and other tools.
Based on opinions from agents
