Wang Renhua was elevated to the highest rank for officers in active service in March, 2024. -- Photo: CCTV
BEIJING (Agencies): In a significant development within China’s military leadership, three high-ranking officers have been expelled from the national legislature as part of an ongoing anti-corruption campaign that has intensified across the armed forces.
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress said on Saturday that it had expelled Wang Renhua, head of the Central Military Commission’s Political and Legal Affairs Committee; Zhang Hongbing, political commissar of the People’s Armed Police (PAP); and Wang Peng, director of the CMC’s training department.
All three remain full members of the Central Committee, the Communist Party’s top decision-making body, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
Wang Renhua, who served as the head of the Central Military Commission’s Political and Legal Affairs Committee, has been under scrutiny in recent months.
Similarly, Zhang Hongbing, a political commissar of the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and Wang Peng, the director of the CMC’s training department, have also faced increasing scrutiny leading to their expulsion. Notably, all three individuals continue to hold positions as full members of the Central Committee, the top decision-making body within the Communist Party.
This announcement comes amidst growing speculation about the leadership of these three generals, who have notably been absent from key military events in recent months.
They notably missed a celebration in late July marking the anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the party’s fourth plenum set to occur in October, raising eyebrows about their standing within the military hierarchy.
Wang Renhua, 63, had only recently been elevated to the rank of admiral by President Xi Jinping, receiving the promotion less than a year ago. His appointment to oversee military courts, procuratorates, and prisons was highlighted in a state media broadcast, marking him as the PLA’s third security chief following a comprehensive military reform initiated in 2015.
This rapid ascension and subsequent downfall illustrate the tumultuous nature of leadership positions within the Chinese military and the zero-tolerance stance the government is adopting towards corruption.
The anti-corruption campaign has been a cornerstone of Xi Jinping’s administration, aiming to root out graft and mismanagement within the ranks. Observers note that these developments could have far-reaching implications for how the military operates and who will fill these critical roles moving forward. As the situation continues to evolve, the ramifications of these expulsions for the structure and integrity of China’s military remain to be seen.
Meanwhile, the US Department of Defence has released its annual report on China, noting among other things that its definition of “core interest” has been extended to cover Taiwan, and its territorial claims on Arunachal Pradesh and in the South China Sea.
Over a hundred pages, the report mentioned other important events, such as India-China relations after the 2020 Line of Actual Control (LAC) stand-off, military sales to Pakistan and Russia, the corruption-related purges of senior leaders in the Chinese military, and its defence capabilities in terms of new technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Such documents (officially, “Report to Congress on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China”) have been commissioned since the year 2000 for presentation before the US Congress.
A Chinese defence spokesperson on Thursday expressed opposition to the report, saying it “misrepresented” China’s national defence policy and military development to mislead the international community.” -- Agencies
