China Expels CMC Vice Chair He Weidong as Nine Senior Officers Ousted for Corruption

Overview

• The Defense Ministry said the officers committed serious Party discipline violations and are suspected of crimes involving an extremely large amount of money.
• Nine senior figures were removed from the armed forces, including admiral Miao Hua, and eight of those individuals were also expelled from the Communist Party after serving on its Central Committee.
• The action includes the first removal of a serving general on the Central Military Commission since the Cultural Revolution, according to Brazilian media reports.
• The announcement ends months of speculation after He Weidong disappeared from public view in March, with authorities providing no details on any detention.
• Analysts cited in the coverage say the clear-out could open the way for new Central Military Commission appointments at the upcoming Party plenum.