Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Dec. 30: Chinese President Xi Jinping has removed two high-ranking military generals in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Lieutenant General You Haitao and Vice Admiral Li Pengcheng, citing “serious violations of laws and discipline”—a term often used to describe corruption allegations.
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) announced on Tuesday the dismissal of You Haitao, the former commander of China’s army, and Li Pengcheng, the former naval commander of the PLA Southern Theatre Command, from the national legislature.
This purge is the latest in a series of personnel changes within the PLA, which has seen numerous senior officers targeted by corruption charges. On December 18, General Chen Hui replaced Qin Shutong, the former political commissar for the PLA ground forces, without any official explanation.
Since taking power in 2012, Xi Jinping has spearheaded a sweeping anti-corruption campaign across all levels of government and the military. While dozens of high-ranking PLA officers have been investigated, demoted, or dismissed under this campaign, critics argue that Xi’s efforts serve a dual purpose— eliminating political rivals and consolidating loyalty within the armed forces.
The removal of top officials from various divisions of the PLA has become a hallmark of Xi’s tenure. This includes high-profile dismissals from the rocket force and procurement divisions. Notably, two former defense ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, were similarly dismissed in June without disclosure of their current whereabouts.
In December 2023, nine senior military officers were also purged from the national legislative body. The Pentagon warned that these internal upheavals could undermine China’s military modernisation efforts, especially amid heightened territorial tensions in the South China Sea and Xi’s tightening grip on the PLA.
