Chinese President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed the importance of strict discipline within the country’s armed forces, warning that corruption and political disloyalty cannot be tolerated inside the military hierarchy.
Speaking before delegates from the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police during China’s annual political meetings in Beijing, President Xi emphasized that the armed forces must remain firmly loyal to the Communist Party. Individuals who engage in corruption or violate party discipline, he stated, have no place in the ranks of the military.
President Xi also called for stronger oversight in several key areas of military administration, including financial management, the exercise of authority, and procurement quality control. These priorities are expected to be incorporated into China’s upcoming five-year development plan, which lawmakers are scheduled to approve later this month.
The anti-corruption drive within the military gained momentum after President Xi secured a third term in 2023, expanding a campaign that has reshaped both China’s political leadership and its defense establishment.
Since the campaign intensified, several senior figures have been removed from their posts, including members of the powerful Central Military Commission and numerous high-ranking generals. In 2023, two former Chinese defense ministers were expelled from the Communist Party as part of the broader effort to enforce discipline and accountability.
Recent reports have also mentioned an investigation involving Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, over alleged “serious violations of discipline and law.” Some Western media outlets have speculated that the probe may involve accusations of leaking information related to China’s nuclear program to the United States, though Chinese authorities have not publicly confirmed those claims.
The developments come amid growing intelligence tensions between Beijing and Washington. The US Central Intelligence Agency recently released Chinese-language recruitment advertisements aimed at individuals within China’s military who may have access to sensitive technological information.
China’s Foreign Ministry condemned the effort, accusing foreign intelligence services of attempting to infiltrate the country’s institutions and pledging to counter what it described as sabotage by anti-China forces.