The corruption scandal gripping Xi Jinping’s army

In an effort to create a cutting edge force, the Chinese Communist party (CCP) has spent billions of dollars expanding and modernising its armed forces at a pace rarely seen in peace time. But on the evidence of the last few days, the most cutting edge features of its top ranks remain corruption and political intrigue.

Miao Hua, one of China’s top commanders has been suspended and is under investigation for ‘serious violations of discipline’ – CCP-speak for corruption, according to the defence ministry. Miao, a navy admiral, is one of six members of the party’s powerful central military commission, chaired by President Xi Jinping. He was also head of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) political works department – charged with ensuring CCP control over the PLA. In the military pecking order, he was regarded as more powerful than defence minister Dong Jun. The graft allegations against him will have shaken China’s military leadership.

Rumours have also swirled that Dong Jun himself is under investigation – fuelled after he refused to meet US defence secretary Lloyd Austin at an Asian defence meeting in Laos earlier this month, a decision Austin described as ‘unfortunate’.