Recently, CCP leader Xi Jinping's crackdown on the military has garnered significant attention from the international community. The accompanying image shows Xi Jinping (centre) attending a ceremony at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on September 30, 2018. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
[People News] On May 7, former Chinese Defence Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by a military court, followed by life imprisonment without the possibility of reduction or parole. The following day, the 'PLA Daily' published a front-page commentary stating, 'There must be no one in the military who harbours disloyalty to the Party.' Observers believe that the ongoing rectification within the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has shifted from anti-corruption efforts to a more stringent examination of political loyalty, raising renewed concerns about internal instability within the military.
As reported by Radio Free Asia, Xinhua News Agency stated on May 7 that Wei Fenghe, a former member of the Central Military Commission and former State Councillor and Minister of Defence, was sentenced to death with a reprieve for bribery; Li Shangfu received a similar sentence for multiple counts of bribery and corruption. After the two-year reprieve, their sentences will be legally commuted to life imprisonment, and they will serve life sentences without the possibility of reduction or parole.
This marks a rare instance of severe sentencing against high-ranking military officials at the vice-state level by the Chinese Communist Party in recent years. Previous officials who were ousted, such as Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, former vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission, as well as Fang Fenghui, former chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Military Commission, did not receive death sentences with a reprieve.
The sentencing of the two defence ministers has attracted significant attention.
Mr Lü, a senior media professional living in Europe, stated in an interview with Radio Free Asia this Monday that the concurrent sentencing of Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu to death with a two-year reprieve is an exceptionally rare occurrence among the military's senior ranks over the past few decades. He noted, 'More than a decade ago, Bo Xilai was sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery and corruption, and later Zhou Yongkang received a life sentence for similar charges. By September 2022, Fu Zhenghua was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, indicating that the CCP has begun to impose stricter sentences on high-ranking officials. Now, with two former defence ministers receiving the same sentence of death with a reprieve, along with life imprisonment without the possibility of reduction or parole, it shows that Beijing's assessment of issues within the military system has significantly escalated.'
Mr Lü believes that the 'maximum sentencing' for the two former defence ministers is viewed by the authorities as a 'result of anti-corruption' leading up to 2026. The official narrative emphasises 'strict military governance' and 'the eradication of corruption,' but in reality, it appears to be part of an ongoing and expanding campaign to rectify the military.
He remarked, 'In recent years, senior generals from various military branches, including the Rocket Force, Navy, and Strategic Support Force, have faced a series of issues, the General Equipment Department has been under continuous scrutiny, and high-ranking officials in military enterprises have frequently been dismissed. It is particularly noteworthy that the five major military regions were personally established by Xi Jinping following the military reforms in 2016, and now many commanders and political commissars from these regions are reported to be under investigation or have been absent from significant activities for extended periods. This indicates that the military system created during Xi's tenure is facing serious problems.'
The Military Report stresses that 'there must be no divided loyalties.'
The day after the official announcement regarding the sentencing of two former defence ministers, on May 8, the "Liberation Army Daily" featured a front-page commentary titled "Insist on Responding to Corruption and Eliminating Greed." The article claimed that Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu have "collapsed in faith and lost loyalty," which has "seriously polluted the political ecology of the troops," and emphasised that "there must be no one in the military who harbours dual loyalties to the Party."
In an interview with Radio Free Asia, current affairs commentator Mr Liu remarked that the focus of this editorial in the "Liberation Army Daily" has shifted from merely anti-corruption to issuing a political warning within the military: "Previously, military anti-corruption efforts emphasised the exchange of power and money, as well as the buying and selling of official positions. Now, the emphasis has changed to 'loss of loyalty' and 'harbouring dual loyalties.' This suggests that the highest leadership is concerned not only about corruption but also about the existence of uncontrolled interpersonal networks within the military."
Mr Liu pointed out that the military newspaper had previously used strong phrases such as "seriously trampling on and undermining the accountability of the Chairman of the Military Commission" to accuse Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, which has attracted attention to power struggles among the military's upper echelons. He stated, "The cases of Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe are likely connected to the equipment system and personnel relationships within the Military Commission. Particularly with Li Shangfu being charged with 'bribery,' it naturally raises questions about his superior relationships. Li Shangfu has long been involved in the equipment system, and Zhang Youxia has also had a long tenure overseeing it, leading to various associations in the public's mind."
The commentary in the "Liberation Army Daily" further asserted, "There are no 'exemption certificates' and no 'iron hat kings,'" and that "whatever is involved will be investigated thoroughly, and the deeper the involvement, the more extensive the investigation will be."
A series of incidents has involved various military leaders.
Wei Fenghe has had a long career in the Rocket Force system, previously serving as the Commander of the Rocket Force before being appointed Minister of Defence in 2017. Li Shangfu has also had a lengthy tenure in the Equipment Development Department, where he served as Deputy Minister and later as Minister of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission. In March 2023, Li Shangfu took over from Wei Fenghe as Minister of Defence, but he has not made any public appearances since July of that year. Given Li Shangfu's extensive experience in the equipment system and Zhang Youxia's previous long-term oversight of the same, the public has drawn various connections regarding these cases.
In response to the frequent incidents involving individuals promoted by Xi Jinping, scholar Liang Qin noted that Xi has consistently favoured promoting 'acquaintances' who have shared work experiences or local ties, such as the so-called 'Minjiang New Army', 'Zhijiang New Army', and officials with backgrounds from Shaanxi.
He remarked: 'This model of personnel selection, based on personal trust rather than a strictly institutionalised process, tends to foster networks among officials. As these individuals ascend to higher levels and gain more power, potential issues of corruption and even political ambitions may gradually come to light, ultimately resulting in a situation that becomes difficult to control.'
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