The political scientist named the reason for the anti-corruption purges in the Armed Forces of the People's Republic of China

Large-scale anti-corruption purges continue in China, and in recent years the focus in this process has shifted to the Armed forces of the People's Republic of China. Alexey Maslov, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University, told Izvestia on March 4.

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"A very serious blow came in 2023, when, after allegations of corruption, the command of the missile forces of the People's Republic of China was actually completely renewed. In October 2025, two members of the Central Military Commission of China were dismissed from their posts and subsequently expelled from the party. More recently, two more members of this commission, who were responsible for both strategic planning and operational military leadership, also lost their posts," the Chinese expert recalled.

This situation leads to a further strengthening of the personal power of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who consistently eliminates the influence of various regional and informal groups within the army, the political scientist explained.

"One of the notable roles in the Armed Forces was played by the so—called Fujian group - people from Fujian Province, with whom Xi Jinping's early career stages are associated. Now many representatives of this group have also been removed from their posts," he said.

At the same time, there is no direct evidence of a conspiracy against the Chinese leader or an attempted coup, the expert added. Such rumors are mainly spread by the "yellow press", including outside mainland China, for example, in Taiwan.

Maslov considered the fight against large-scale corruption in the military environment to be the most plausible version of what is happening in China.

"Today, the Chinese armed forces are considered one of the largest sources of corrupt practices, especially in the distribution of defense government orders, as well as the promotion of relatives and associates to key positions," the source said.

Another important factor, according to the political scientist, is the preparation for the XXI CPC Congress, scheduled for 2027.

"This congress traditionally involves serious personnel changes. On the eve of this event, Xi Jinping is conducting a large—scale and harsh purge of the army, seeking to approach the congress with the most controlled and loyal military elite," the Sinologist summed up.

Read more about the reasons for the anti—corruption campaign in China in the Izvestia article:

Thieving officials: the fight against corruption has unfolded in China

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