March 11, 2023: Senior members of the CCP’s Central Military Commission line up to take the oath at the National People’s Congress. From right to left: Zhang Youxia, He Weidong, Li Shangfu, Liu Zhenli, Miao Hua, Zhang Shengmin. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
[People News] The anti-corruption campaign within the upper ranks of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military has once again delivered a shocking blow. Today (May 7), state media confirmed that former defence ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu have been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by the military court for serious corruption offences. This ruling not only signifies an intensification of the internal purging of senior officials within the CCP military but also underscores the significant personnel turmoil that has plagued the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in recent years.
According to reports from Xinhua News Agency and official announcements, the military court today delivered its verdict in the cases of former Central Military Commission member and former State Councillor and Defence Minister Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu. Both were found guilty of bribery, with Li Shangfu facing multiple charges related to both accepting and giving bribes. The court ruled to strip both men of their political rights for life and confiscate all their personal assets. Importantly, the announcement stressed that after their two-year reprieve, they would face severe penalties of 'life imprisonment without the possibility of commutation or parole.'
In fact, both were expelled from the CCP, stripped of their military ranks, and had their qualifications as representatives of the 20th National Congress revoked on June 27, 2024. The official language at that time was particularly harsh, accusing both of receiving substantial sums of money. Wei Fenghe, now 72 years old, became the first commander of the CCP's Rocket Force at the end of 2015 and served as Minister of Defence from 2018 until March 2023.
Li Shangfu, who took over the position, is known for his background as a 'space expert' and a member of the 'red second generation.' He served at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre for a decade before becoming the Minister of Defence in March 2023. However, just a few months into his role, he vanished from public view at the end of August that same year and was officially dismissed in October. Previously, while serving as the head of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission, he faced sanctions from the U.S. State Department in 2018 for acquiring defence equipment from Russia.
The severe consequences faced by these two defence ministers are just the tip of the iceberg in the recent extensive purges within the military of the Chinese Communist Party.
A report published by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in the U.S. in February this year indicates that since 2022, 36 generals and lieutenant generals from the Chinese Communist Party's military have been purged, with an additional 65 officers reported missing. This suggests that as many as 52% of the 176 top leadership positions in the People's Liberation Army may have been replaced. This trend of high-level turnover is particularly pronounced within the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China. By 2026, the seven-member Central Military Commission established at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party in 2022 will consist of only two members: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin. Other top military leaders, including Zhang Youxia, He Weidong, Li Shangfu, Miao Hua, and Liu Zhenli, have all been investigated or dismissed in succession.
Furthermore, the military's influence within the National People's Congress (NPC) delegation has significantly waned. Currently, 36 senior generals have been publicly dismissed from their roles as NPC representatives, which includes 16 full generals, 14 lieutenant generals, and 6 major generals. During this year's Two Sessions, the total number of representatives from the military and armed police has decreased by 38, bringing the total down to 243. When Xi Jinping attended the delegation meeting on March 7, only 4 active full generals and 2 retired full generals were present.
The impending life imprisonment of two former Defence Ministers of the Communist Party undoubtedly adds further uncertainty to the future of the military and political landscape of the Communist Party.
Political analysts suggest that when the regime initiates mutual purges and fosters suspicion within its highest armed forces, particularly involving key figures like Zhang Youxia, the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, it indicates a dangerous escalation in the power struggle, where the factions can no longer tolerate each other. This reflects a complete breakdown of trust within the ruling group.
Independent commentator Du Zhenggeng warns that the intense internal strife may exacerbate the anger of lower-ranking military officers, potentially leading to extreme scenarios that could threaten Xi Jinping's position. △
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