China Expels Top General He Weidong and Eight Military Officials in Major Anti-Corruption Crackdown

China's Ministry of Defense announced Friday that He Weidong, the second-highest ranking general, along with eight other senior military officials have been expelled from both the Communist Party and the military due to serious corruption allegations.

He Weidong, who served as vice-chair of the Central Military Commission, represents the most senior figure caught in the ongoing anti-corruption campaign targeting military leadership.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang stated that all nine officials are suspected of extremely serious criminal activities involving exceptionally large amounts of money. Their cases have been thoroughly investigated and transferred to military prosecutors for formal review and prosecution.

Anti-corruption initiatives have become a hallmark policy under President Xi Jinping's leadership since he assumed power in 2012. These campaigns have led to the removal of thousands of officials, including several high-profile political rivals.

He Weidong, who was elevated to the Central Military Commission in 2022, had not been seen in public appearances for several months—often the first sign that an official has fallen under investigation. Friday's announcement provided the first official confirmation regarding his status.

As one of the 24 members of the Politburo, the second-highest Communist Party governing body after the 7-member Politburo Standing Committee, He previously headed the Eastern Theater Command, which holds primary responsibility for potential military operations against Taiwan.

Among the eight other dismissed officials is Miao Hua, director of the Central Military Commission's political work department, who had been placed under investigation last November.

The Central Military Commission, chaired by President Xi, represents China's supreme military authority.

Zhang described the officials' offenses as "of grave nature, with extremely harmful consequences," though specific details about the alleged crimes were not provided.

The announcement comes just days before the Communist Party convenes a major meeting in Beijing to establish the country's strategic objectives for the next five years.

Eight of the nine expelled military leaders were members of the party's Central Committee, the 205-member body scheduled to meet next week.

Neil Thomas, a Chinese politics expert at the Asia Society Policy Institute, explained that their expulsion from the Communist Party creates openings for appointing replacements to the committee: "This move is a political show of force and a practical step to elevate non-voting alternates into full members of the Central Committee."

High-ranking military officers hold privileged positions within Chinese politics and typically enjoy extensive official and unofficial benefits.

Analysts observe that the anti-corruption campaign, which enjoys strong public support, has also functioned as a mechanism to enforce loyalty to President Xi among party and government officials.

Last June, China announced that former Defense Minister Li Shangfu and his predecessor Wei Fenghe were also expelled from the Communist Party amid corruption accusations.