Central Military Commission

China's military promoted Zhang Shuguang and Wang Gang to generals, potentially signaling a reorganization following anti-corruption purges. The promotions aim to reinforce military loyalty to Xi Jinping, who chairs the Central Military Commission.

China’s military promoted Zhang Shuguang and Wang Gang to generals, likely ahead of a reorganization following anti-corruption purges that removed several leaders. Zhang was also appointed to lead a corruption investigation division at the Central Military Commission, which has been reduced in size by the ongoing investigations.

Xi Jinping pledged to strengthen China's military and combat corruption within the Communist Party during a speech marking the party's 105th anniversary. He emphasized modernizing national defense, enforcing strict military discipline, and resolving the Taiwan question, while opposing external interference.

China's Central Military Commission, led by President Xi Jinping, has issued strict measures to enforce discipline and anti-corruption among senior People's Liberation Army (PLA) officials. The rules focus on education, management, and supervision of high-ranking military cadres, as reported by state news agency Xinhua.

Two former Chinese defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption. The sentences are part of President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign within the armed forces. Both men were also stripped of their political rights for life and ordered to forfeit all personal property.

Xi Jinping has conducted extensive purges of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) since 2012, with a second major wave beginning around 2023 that has been far more extensive than previously understood. The CSIS China Power Project database documents over 100 senior PLA officers who have been purged or potentially purged since 2022, including six CMC members. These purges have significantly decimated the PLA's high command structure.