Sacked high officials point to conflict in China’s elite

High-ranking military personnel in China’s missile force have been replaced. The announcement came just days after the country’s foreign minister was fired.

The dismissals indicate contradictions within the country’s elite, according to China expert Torbjörn Lodén.

The leader of the People’s Liberation Army’s so-called rocket force has lost his job. So have his second husband and his representative.

The Missile Force is the branch of the military responsible for China’s strategic robots, both conventional and nuclear-armed. The dismissals are considered by analysts to be of great importance in light of the fact that last year China was the country whose nuclear weapons arsenal increased the most in the world, according to the international peace research institute Sipri.

As recently as June, China’s President and Commander-in-Chief Xi Jinping underlined the importance of “maintaining the party’s absolute leadership over the military.”

Closed system

The three high-ups who were poked haven’t been seen in public for months, and neither have several of their former associates. It is not unusual in China for people who are to be fired to first “disappear” for a period of time – where they want to wait to announce a solution until a solution to the situation has been found, i.e. a replacement has been appointed.

But what caused the persons to be replaced is shrouded in obscurity. China is a closed country and officially no information about the reasons has been given. According to sources to the South China Morning Post, General Li Yuchao, his deputy Liu Guangbin and his representative Zhang Zhenzhong are being investigated for corruption.

– What we can know is that the resignation of the foreign minister – and now of these generals – indicates problems and conflicts, says Torbjörn Lodén, sinologist and director of the Stockholm China Center, to TT.

– It could be about corruption and it could be that Xi Jinping is unsure of the absolute loyalty of these employees. One can only speculate,

Control important

Xi Jinping recently called for increased oversight of the military and the creation of a “modern system of military rule”, reports the AFP news agency.

Now he has appointed Wang Houbin, former deputy commander of the navy, as the new head of the missile force.

– It is hugely important for Xi Jinping that he should personally have control over the military as well, says Torbjörn Lodén.

Political factors

Since taking over as president, Xi has taken a crackdown on corruption, which is widespread in China. The fight against corruption is one of the areas that contributed to the president’s support in China after all. In some cases, however, there may be political factors in the background that determine who you choose to intervene against among the really high-ranking people.

Lodén points out that the contradictions in China’s elite are often underestimated. There is dissatisfaction with the foreign and security policy under Xi, and many are critical of the fact that the president has gotten closer to Russia – and thereby worsened relations with the West.

– Xi Jinping often appears to the outside world as if he is all-powerful and can do whatever he wants. He has amassed an enormous amount of power, but in doing so he has also incurred a great deal of enmity.

FACT China

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