Chinese President Xi Jinping has initiated a new wave of purges in the Chinese army after the founder of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, attempted a rebellion in Russia.
The Wall Street Journal reports this, citing sources close to the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
According to the publication's sources, Moscow's inability to achieve a quick victory over Ukraine, and then over Prigozhin, showed China's leaders that large-scale modernization of the armed forces does not automatically lead to the creation of a formidable fighting force.
Xi Jinping, concerned about corruption undermining the country's combat readiness, concluded that military equipment alone is insufficient for ensuring defense if it is not backed by absolute political loyalty, the publication states.
According to The New York Times, since 2023, out of 30 high-ranking Chinese generals and admirals, only seven have retained their positions, while the others have either been dismissed or have "disappeared." The Central Military Commission, which typically consists of up to seven members, has now been reduced to two members — Xi Jinping himself and General Zhang Shengmin. All others had previously been dismissed as part of the anti-corruption campaign. The dismissals have affected nearly all branches of the military in China, including the rocket forces and the navy.
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