On March 5, 2025, PLA delegates arrive at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to attend the opening of the National People's Congress. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
[People News] Israel’s “Rising Lion” decapitation strike operation precisely wiped out nearly all of Iran’s high-ranking command structure. A recent commentary from Up Media suggests that the leadership of China’s Rocket Force has also been nearly annihilated—comparable to the top brass of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.
This article originates from the World Special Forces and Military Weapons Database. It claims that China’s Rocket Force has recently experienced a leadership purge on par with that of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Out of four Rocket Force commanders, three have been arrested. At least four out of eight deputy commanders have been detained. Numerous high-ranking officers and leaders of related military-industrial groups have also been taken down.
The downfall of the Rocket Force leadership stemmed from a report by the U.S. military.
In October 2022, the China Aerospace Studies Institute, affiliated with the U.S. Air University, published a 255-page “China’s Rocket Force Report,” which sent shockwaves through the PLA.
According to the article, the report revealed everything: the organizational structure of the Rocket Force, its commanders, the locations and coordinates of various units, the types of missiles deployed, and detailed performance data.
Most critically, the researchers believe that beyond the publicly disclosed content, the most sensitive and classified data has already been used by U.S. defence contractors to study the actual performance of Chinese missiles and adjust interceptor parameters accordingly. It’s evident that such a level of intelligence breach involved not only a wide range of people but also individuals of extremely high rank.
Although the authenticity of the U.S. Air Force report cannot be verified, Xi Jinping’s subsequent harsh crackdown and sweeping personnel changes within the Rocket Force indirectly confirm its accuracy. The scandal exposed the Rocket Force’s widespread, deep-rooted, and severe corruption.
Former PLA Navy Lieutenant Colonel Yao Cheng commented that this level of intelligence could not have come from lower-level officers. This indicates the leak came from the upper echelon of the Rocket Force and may have prompted the investigation.
According to official information, this purge affected 17 senior military officers and military-industrial enterprise leaders, including five generals personally promoted by Xi Jinping. They are:
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General Wei Fenghe: Former CMC member, State Councilor, Minister of Defense, and first Commander of the Rocket Force.
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General Li Shangfu: Former CMC member, State Councilor, Minister of Defense, and a “Red Second Generation.” Graduated from National University of Defense Technology in 1982.
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General Ding Laihang: Former Air Force Commander, involved in a corruption case at Beijing’s western suburb airport.
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General Zhou Yanan: Former NPC Standing Committee member and deputy director of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee.
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General Li Yuchao: Third commander of the Rocket Force.
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Lieutenant General Li Chuanguang: Former Rocket Force Deputy Commander, once Chief of Staff at a Second Artillery Corps base.
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Lieutenant General Zhang Zhenzhong: Former Rocket Force Deputy Commander, later Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff Department.
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Major General Lü Hong: Former Director of the Rocket Force Equipment Department.
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Lieutenant General Ju Xinchun: Former Deputy Director of the Equipment Development Department, later commander of the South Sea Fleet.
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Lieutenant General Zhang Yulin: Former Deputy Director of the Equipment Development Department; known as a technical expert.
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Major General Rao Wenmin: Former Deputy Director of the Equipment Development Department; an alternate member of the Central Committee.
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Lieutenant General Shang Hong: Deputy Commander of the Strategic Support Force and Commander of the Aerospace Systems Department.
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Lieutenant General Li Zhizhong: Former Deputy Commander of the Central Theater Command.
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Wang Xiaojun: Former Director of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.
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Wu Yansheng: Former Chairman of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
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Liu Shiquan: Former Chairman of China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco).
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Wang Changqing: Former Deputy General Manager of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC).
According to statistics from The Epoch Times, several other senior military officers have also been purged. These include: Major General Liu Guangbin; Major General Wu Guohua (both implicated in the Rocket Force corruption case); Vice Admiral Feng Danyu, Deputy Navy Commander; Lieutenant General Wang Dazhong, North Sea Fleet Commander; Major General Xia Qingyue, former Deputy Director of the Equipment Development Department; Lieutenant General Sun Jinming, Rocket Force Chief of Staff and alternate Central Committee member; Lieutenant General Li Jun, former Rocket Force Deputy Commander; Major General Zhang Junxiang, former Rocket Force Chief of Staff and alternate Central Committee member; Yuan Jie, Chairman of CASIC; Chen Guoying, General Manager of China South Industries Group; Tan Ruisong, former Chairman of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
This purge reached across the Ministry of National Defence, the Equipment Development Department, the CMC Joint Staff Department, the Navy, the Army, the Air Force, the Strategic Support Force, and research institutions like the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. It also extended to military-industrial enterprises, including CASC, Norinco, and CASIC.
The article concludes that the Rocket Force corruption case essentially uprooted its original command structure. This is believed to have delayed the PLA’s timeline for a potential invasion of Taiwan, as the military now needs years to handle the fallout from the intelligence leaks—such as relocating units, changing codebooks, and getting newly appointed commanders familiar with their troops.
As one comment put it: “It’s like your entire house has been seen inside out—how can you still fight a war like that?”
(Originally published by People News)
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