Latest news with #MiaoHua
The Guardian
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Top Chinese general ousted from body that oversees China's military
A top Chinese general has been dismissed from the body that oversees the Chinese military in the latest sign that Xi Jinping's anti-corruption drive has reached the highest echelons of the armed forces. Miao Hua, a senior admiral from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy, was the director of the political work department of the central military commission (CMC), making him responsible for ideology and loyalty within the armed forces. The six-person CMC is one of the most powerful institutions in China and is headed by Xi himself. On Friday, a statement from the Chinese government confirmed that Miao had been dismissed. He was suspended last year and placed under investigation for 'serious violations of discipline', a byword for corruption. He was expelled from the National People's Congress, China's parliament, in April. The dismissal makes Miao one of the highest-ranking CMC officials to be purged since the 1960s, and the latest in a rush of senior military figures targeted. He Weidong, a vice-chair of the CMC, is also reported to be under investigation. The CMC is the governing body of the PLA, and oversees China's coastguard. Xi is the chair of the CMC, as well as being the leader of China's ruling Communist party (CCP) and the president. Miao's dismissal reflects the latest ructions in China's armed forces. Beijing is keen to present an image of strength and stability on the world stage. The purges risk disrupting that image, although at a time when global attention is focused on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, senior personnel changes in China's military may garner less attention. US-China military dialogue, seen as essential for avoiding accidental conflicts, particularly in the Taiwan strait, have been limited under the presidency of Donald Trump, who has also fired several senior military officials. US military representatives travelled to Shanghai for talks in April, but there have been no public signs of high-ranking meetings. The US and Chinese defence ministers sometimes meet at the Shangri-la Dialogue, an annual defence forum which was held in Singapore last month. But this year China only sent a small, lower-ranking delegation. In the past two years, Xi has dismissed two defence ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe; two heads of the PLA's rocket force, which is responsible for missiles and the nuclear arsenal, and two senior CMC officials. Senior aerospace and defence business leaders have also been removed from a CCP advisory body. Many of the recent oustings appear to be related to an investigation into corruption in military procurement. Li, who was dismissed as defence minister in 2023 and expelled from the CCP last year, previously led the equipment procurement department. Several of his associates from the military and the equipment procurement department were also purged. Miao is the eighth member of the CMC to be ousted since Xi took power in 2012. The expulsion of CMC members was previously unheard of since the era of Mao Zedong. Xi took power with a promise to root out corruption in China, vowing to come after both the 'tigers and the flies'. Since then, millions of officials have been investigated, and hundreds of thousands reportedly penalised, including high-profile people being expelled or prosecuted. Having now ruled for more than a decade, however, many of the senior figures coming into the crosshairs of anti-corruption campaigns are people, such as Miao and Li, who Xi had personally appointed, raising questions about his ability to vet important appointments. One of the most high-profile of Xi's picks to fall was the former foreign minister Qin Gang. Qin disappeared from public view in June 2023, drawing global attention as one of China's most public-facing officials. Speculation that he was under investigation ran rampant until October when Beijing announced he had been removed from his post. No reason was given.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Top Chinese general ousted from body that oversees China's military
A top Chinese general has been purged from the body that overseas the Chinese military in the latest sign that Xi Jinping's anti-corruption drive has reached the highest echelons of the armed forces. Miao Hua, a senior admiral from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy, was the director of the political work department of the central military commission (CMC), making him responsible for ideology and loyalty within the armed forces. The six-person CMC is one of the most powerful institutions in China and is headed by Xi, China's leader. On Friday, a statement from the Chinese government confirmed that Miao had been dismissed. He was suspended last year and placed under investigation for 'serious violations of discipline', a byword for corruption. He was expelled from the National People's Congress, China's parliament, in April. The dismissal makes Miao one of the highest ranking CMC officials to be purged since the 1960s, and the latest in a rush of senior military figures targeted. He Weidong, a vice-chair of the CMC, is also reported to be under investigation. The CMC is the governing body of the PLA, and also oversees China's coastguard. Xi is the chair of the CMC, as well as being the leader of China's ruling Communist party (CCP) and the president. Miao's dismissal reflects the latest ructions in China's armed forces. Beijing is keen to present an image of strength and stability on the world stage. The purges risk disrupting that image, although at a time when global attention is focused on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, senior personnel changes in China's military leadership may garner less attention. US-China military dialogue, seen as essential for avoiding accidental conflicts, particularly in the Taiwan strait, have been limited under the presidency of Donald Trump, who has also fired several senior military officials. US military representatives travelled to Shanghai for talks in April, but there have been no public signs of high-ranking meetings. The US and Chinese defence ministers sometimes meet at the Shangri-la Dialogue, an annual defence forum held in Singapore last month. But this year China only sent a small, lower-ranking delegation. In the past two years, Xi has purged two defence ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, two heads of the PLA's rocket force – responsible for missiles and the nuclear arsenal – and two senior CMC officials. Senior aerospace and defence business leaders have also been removed from a CCP advisory body. Many of the recent purges appear to be related to an investigation into corruption in military procurement. Li, who was ousted as defence minister in 2023 and expelled from the CCP last year, previously led the equipment procurement department. Several of his associates from the military and the equipment procurement department were also purged. Miao is the eighth member of the CMC to be ousted since Xi took power in 2012. The expulsion of CMC members was previously unheard of since the era of Mao Zedong. Xi took power with a promise to root out corruption in China, vowing to come after both the 'tigers and the flies'. Since then, millions of officials have been investigated, and hundreds of thousands reportedly penalised, including high profile expulsions or prosecutions. But having now ruled for more than a decade, many of the senior figures coming into the crosshairs of anti-corruption campaigns are people, like Miao and Li, who Xi had personally appointed, raising questions about his ability to suitably vet important appointments. One of the most high-profile of Xi's picks to fall was former foreign minister Qin Gang. Qin disappeared from public view in June 2023, drawing global attention as one of China's most public-facing officials. Speculation that he was under investigation ran rampant until October when Beijing announced he had been removed from his post. No reason was given.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Former PLA ideology chief Miao Hua removed from China's Central Military Commission
Miao Hua, a top general who once oversaw the People's Liberation Army's ideology work, has been removed from the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC). State news agency Xinhua said the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress 'voted to remove Miao Hua from his position as a member of the Central Military Commission' at its closing meeting on Friday in Beijing. The announcement about the high-profile military corruption investigation came two months after Miao, 69, was stripped of his membership in the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature. Also at the meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt a revised Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security and a revised Law Against Unfair Competition, according to Xinhua. Miao, the former political ideology chief of the world's second-largest military, was put under investigation and suspended from his post in November. Miao's photo was removed from the senior leadership page of the Chinese defence ministry's website at the end of May.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
China purges senior military official Miao Hua from top ruling body
China's top legislature has voted to remove senior military official Miao Hua from the Central Military Commission, its highest-level military command body, according to a statement published on Friday by state news agency Xinhua. Miao, 69, was put under investigation for "serious violations of discipline" in November. The former political ideology chief of the People's Liberation Army was also suspended from his post. The Xinhua statement did not contain any other details, but the move marks another stage in President Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-corruption purge of China's military, in which over a dozen PLA generals and a handful of defence industry executives have been implicated. Miao's photo had been removed from the senior leadership page of the Chinese defence ministry's website in recent weeks. He was also removed from China's national legislature for "serious violations of discipline and law," according to a communique released by the legislature last month. "The Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission held a military representative conference on March 14 this year and decided to remove Miao Hua from his position as a representative of the 14th National People's Congress," the statement said. Live Events Miao was stationed in the coastal province of Fujian when Xi worked there as a local official, according to his official biography. Xi personally elevated Miao to the Central Military Commission. Another senior military official, Vice Admiral Li Hanjun , was stripped of his parliamentary delegate status on Friday, according to a separate state media announcement. Li was chief of staff of the PLA Navy and its third-ranking officer. Another Central Military Commission member and China's second-ranking general, He Weidong, has not been seen in public since the March 11 closing ceremony of the annual parliamentary sessions in Beijing. Since then, he has not appeared at a series of high-level Politburo and military public engagements. He is the third-most powerful commander of the People's Liberation Army and is considered a close associate of President Xi Jinping, the army's commander-in-chief. China's defence ministry said in March it was "unaware" of reports he had been detained. His photo remains on the defence ministry's website. Two former Chinese defence ministers have been removed from the Communist Party for corruption. One of them, Li Shangfu, was suspected of corruption in military procurement, Reuters has reported. Last year, the defence ministry denied reports that Defence Minister Dong Jun was being probed on suspicion of corruption. Dong has continued to appear at public events, attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation defence ministers' meeting in Qingdao this week.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
China purges senior military official Miao Hua from top ruling body
China's top legislature has voted to remove senior military official Miao Hua from the Central Military Commission, its highest-level military command body, according to a statement published on Friday (June 27, 2025) by state news agency Xinhua. Miao, 69, was put under investigation for "serious violations of discipline" in November. The former political ideology chief of the People's Liberation Army was also suspended from his post. The Xinhua statement did not contain any other details, but the move marks another stage in President Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-corruption purge of China's military, in which over a dozen PLA generals and a handful of defence industry executives have been implicated. Miao's photo had been removed from the senior leadership page of the Chinese defence ministry's website in recent weeks. He was also removed from China's national legislature for "serious violations of discipline and law," according to a communique released by the legislature last month. "The Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission held a military representative conference on March 14 this year and decided to remove Miao Hua from his position as a representative of the 14th National People's Congress," the statement said. Miao was stationed in the coastal province of Fujian when Xi worked there as a local official, according to his official biography. Mr. Xi personally elevated Miao to the Central Military Commission. Another Central Military Commission member and China's second-ranking general, He Weidong, has not been seen in public since the March 11 closing ceremony of the annual parliamentary sessions in Beijing. Since then, he has not appeared at a series of high-level Politburo and military public engagements. He is the third-most powerful commander of the People's Liberation Army and is considered a close associate of President Xi Jinping, the army's commander-in-chief. China's defence ministry said in March it was "unaware" of reports he had been detained. His photo remains on the defence ministry's website. Two former Chinese Defence Ministers have been removed from the Communist Party for corruption. One of them, Li Shangfu, was suspected of corruption in military procurement, Reuters has reported. Last year, the Defence Ministry denied reports that Defence Minister Dong Jun was being probed on suspicion of corruption. Dong has continued to appear at public events, attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation defence ministers' meeting in Qingdao this week.
