China Suspends Top Military Official Miao Hua Amid Widening Anti-Corruption Crackdown.
In a significant development, China has suspended a high-ranking military official, Miao Hua, from duty pending an investigation into “serious violations of discipline,” a commonly used euphemism for corruption.
Miao Hua, the director of the political work department on the powerful Central Military Commission that oversees the People’s Liberation Army, is the latest senior figure to be targeted in the Chinese government’s widening crackdown on corruption within the armed forces.
The announcement was made by the Ministry of Defense spokesperson, Wu Qian, who stated that the governing Communist Party had decided to suspend Miao Hua from his duties while the investigation is underway.
This move comes amidst a broader campaign against corruption spearheaded by President Xi Jinping, which has already led to the removal of nearly 20 military and defense industry officials since 2023, including two former defense ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe.
Li Shangfu, Miao’s predecessor, was expelled from the Communist Party after just seven months in the job, due to offenses that included bribery and “betraying the trust of the party.
Similarly, Wei Fenghe, who served as defense minister from 2018 to 2023, was also kicked out of the party and referred to prosecutors for alleged corruption.
The Communist Party’s statement on these cases highlighted the officials’ involvement in receiving substantial bribes and “seeking personnel benefits” for others, actions that were deemed to have “seriously polluted the political environment of the military” and “caused great damage to the image of its senior leaders.”
The suspension of Miao Hua underscores the Chinese government’s commitment to rooting out corruption within the military ranks, a key priority for President Xi Jinping.
