Beijing (China), November 29 (HBTV): The Chinese Defence Ministry has announced that Admiral Miao Hua, a top military official and member of the Central Military Commission (CMC), has been suspended and placed under investigation for corruption. This move is part of a broader purge of high-ranking military officers, led by Chinese President Xi Jinping, to combat corruption within the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Admiral Miao, who heads the Political Work Department of the CMC, is a close associate of Xi Jinping and had served as a political officer in the army during Xi's time as a local official in Fujian. Miao's investigation for "serious violations of discipline" is seen as a euphemism for corruption, signaling a continuation of Xi's crackdown on corrupt practices within the military.

Since Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption in the PLA in 2023, numerous senior generals have been purged, including former Defence Ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, who were expelled from the Communist Party over corruption allegations. This purge is part of Xi's goal to strengthen China's armed forces, making them more combat-ready and aggressive in asserting territorial claims.

In recent months, more than a dozen high-level military officers and aerospace executives have been suspended as part of the ongoing anti-corruption campaign. Miao's fall from grace highlights the continued efforts by Xi to root out corruption and disloyalty in the PLA, a hallmark of his leadership since coming to power in 2012.

Lyle Morris, a foreign policy expert, commented on the pervasive nature of corruption within the PLA, noting that it is deeply embedded in the organization and will likely continue to be a challenge for Xi and future leaders.

(ANI)