Admiral Miao Hua’s suspension: Xi Jinping’s gamble and corruption in Chinese Army

The scale of crackdowns has also led to questions over Chinese President Xi Jinping ability to manage his expansive anti-corruption campaign while maintaining loyalty and stability among China’s military elites. (File Photo: AP)

China last week suspended a senior military officer and placed him under investigation for corruption amid President Xi Jinping continues his extensive purge of senior generals within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Admiral Miao Hua (69), a member China’s influential Central Military Commission (CMC), is under investigation for “serious violations of discipline”, which usually refers to issues of corruption. Miao is the director of the Political Work Department on the powerful Central Military Commission that oversees the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Miao is regarded as a close ally of Xi and reportedly served as a political officer in the military in Fujian province during the 1990s and early 2000s when Xi held a local official position there.
South China Morning Post reported that Miao’s suspension “has left the seven-member CMC, chaired by President Xi Jinping, with a rare double vacancy and only two serving members apart from Xi and the two vice-chairmen – a situation not seen in decades.”

PLA purge continues in Xi’s anti-corruption campaign

The news of Miao’s suspension came just a day after a report by Financial Times claimed that China’s Defence Minister, Dong Jun, had also been placed under investigation for corruption. However, the Chinese Ministry of Defence swiftly rejected the report, calling it "sheer fabrication".

Miao’s suspension is the third recent major shakeup in China's defence establishment. In June, China announced that former Defence Minister Li Shangfu and his predecessor Wei Fenghe were accused of corruption and expelled from the party. They were being investigated for corruption and bribery, after initially facing suspension.

Yet, the high-level investigation is not likely to have any significant consequences, given Xi's tight grip on power.

The series of expulsions and suspensions are a result of Xi’s ongoing campaign against corruption in the PLA since last year as he continues to focus on the Rocket Force, which is responsible for China’s nuclear and missile arsenal.

This action by Xi is seen by many as his bid to strengthen the PLA, making it more combat-ready and assertive in pursuing Beijing’s territorial claims. As part of this effort, China has invested heavily in modernising its military capabilities, including the acquisition and upgrading of advanced equipment.

However, critics argue that these charges have been framed at times to replace officials with people more favourable to him and centralise power in his favour. Xi’s ability to purge officials with ease, in one way, proves his total control over the system.

The big picture

Miao’s rise within the PLA is closely tied to Xi’s ascent to power, with a major promotion in 2014, when he became the political commissar of the PLA Navy during Dong’s tenure as deputy chief of staff. In 2017, Miao was appointed to his current role as the head of the CMC’s Political Work Department.

According to a CNN report, the ongoing purges within the military suggest that his campaign to consolidate power is far from over. While Xi aims for a modernised PLA by 2050, the allegations of systemic corruption threaten to undermine both readiness and internal cohesion.

With the scale of crackdowns, one may also question Xi’s ability to manage his expansive anti-corruption campaign while maintaining loyalty and stability among China’s military elites.
Corruption such as procurement of substandard missiles in PLA’s Rocket Force, which is critical to China’s nuclear deterrence strategy, raises doubts about the reliability of country’s military assets.

Experts believe that Xi is likely to intensify his anti-corruption campaign in the coming days, focusing on tightening internal discipline and improving transparency within the PLA. The recent moves, such as amending audit rules and reforming procurement systems, suggest an effort to address systemic issues.