China’s top military leaders are facing an unprecedented purge under President Xi Jinping, leaving experts scrambling to understand the implications. Since taking power in 2012, Xi has ousted almost one-fifth of the generals he personally appointed, a move his predecessors never made.
The recent dismissal of He Weidong, a vice chair of the Central Military Commission (CMC), marked the latest casualty of Xi’s sweeping purge. The event provided rare insight into the secretive world of power politics under Xi Jinping.
China watchers quickly noticed that He was missing from the annual tree-planting ceremony, which had included all top CMC members since 2012. This was the clearest sign yet that He had become the most senior general to be ousted since Mao Zedong’s chaotic rule ended in 1976.
Xi’s purge has left the CMC with only four total members, down from seven when his third term started, the fewest in the post-Mao era. This raises questions about Xi’s political strength or weakness, and its implications reach around the world and across the global economy.
Experts point to several factors behind Xi’s actions, including corruption and a lack of military readiness. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is even more secretive than the government, making it hard to gauge the true scale of the purges.
Despite speculation about Xi’s potential successor, he has shown no sign of moving to appoint a new leader – and any mention of the topic is heavily censored on China’s internet. Instead, he will likely fill the CMC by picking from the slimmed-down group of 29 generals still standing.
Xi Jinping’s military purge raises significant concerns about China’s readiness to wage war. As he nears a potential fourth term in power in 2027, observers will be watching for clues on whether Xi trusts his own generals and what the recent shakeup means for the country’s future.
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-xi-china-military-officials-purge