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The Star
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Senior military official Miao Hua purged from top ruling body
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 by 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 yesterday 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. 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 Xi, who is also the army's commander- in-chief. China's defence ministry said in March that 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. 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. — Reuters
The Guardian
15 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.
India.com
17 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
China in panic after witnessing destruction caused by US' B-2 bombers; experts say Beijing, Xi Jinping must...
The B-2 stealth bomber is the world's most expensive warplane. (File) B-2 stealth bomber: Earlier this month, the United States decimated Iranian nuclear sites as they used the B-2 stealth bombers to drop the massive 30,000lbs (13.6 tonne) GBU-57 Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP), aka the bunker buster bombs, on Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow nuclear facilities, which purportedly 'completely obliterated' these locations, according to US President Donald Trump. The US' use of the B-2 stealth bomber in Iran has become a hot topic of discussion among global strategic circles, and has sparked panic among Washington's rivals, including China, who have been stunned at the destructive effectiveness of the sixth-generation bomber jet, especially its ability to fly long distances. Chinese experts in awe of B-2 stealth bomber The B-2's performance has impressed Chinese experts, who are now calling upon Beijing to develop a similar bomber jet to maintain strategic parity with the United States. According to Song Zhongping, a military analyst and former instructor in China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), nothing, not even a latest 6th-generation fighter jet, can replace strategic bomber, even in an era where long-range attack missiles exist, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. Zhongping notes that strategic bombers have the capability to carry both nuclear and conventional attack, which makes it strategic weapon that could turn the tide in favor of any army. How B-2 stealth bomber destroyed Iranian nuclear sites On June 22, the US military launched Operation Midnight Hammer, under which seven B-2 stealth bombers breached Iranian airspace and dropped its heavy GBU-57 bunker busting bombs on the country's top nuclear facilities, including Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. The bomber took off from the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, and flew for nearly 37 hours, taking the trans-Atlantic route via the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, and entered Iran's airspace from the west or southwest. This was the the longest mission for the B-2 bomber since 2001. After bombing Iranian nuclear facilities with impunity, the B-2 stealth bomber fleet left the Iranian airspace and returned without any resistance, a feat that has stunned Chinese experts, who now believe that strategic bombers are very important for the Chinese army due to their utility in attacking anywhere in the world and establishing nuclear deterrence. What makes the B-2 stealth bomber special? The Northrop B-2 Spirit, commonly known as the B-2 stealth bomber, is a heavy strategic bomber with low-observable stealth technology designed to evade dense anti-aircraft defenses. The B-2 bomber has a special radar-absorbent coating on its body, which absorbs radar signals and prevent them bouncing off the aircraft, significantly reducing detection chances by enemy radars. This unique technology also increases the B-2's speed, and its sleek body is designed in manner that drastically reduces the plane's radar cross-section. The B-2 stealth bomber is especially designed to carry heavy bombs, including the GBU-57 bunker buster, which it reportedly dropped on Iran's underground Fordow nuclear site during Sunday's attack. The heavy bomber can also carry nuclear bombs. Additionally, the B-2 has a range of more than 10,000 kilometers, making it capable of carrying out intercontinental strikes. China is currently flight-testing two different sixth-generation aircraft, the J-36 and J-50, however, even the most advanced 6th-gen stealth fighters are no match for a strategic bomber, due its long-flight capability, and the sheer volume of explosives it can carry, as per analysts.
The Guardian
17 hours 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
18 hours 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.
