As China's top general goes missing, is Xi leading another round of purge in CPC?

In the yearslong campaign to consolidate power, Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to have unleashed the latest round of purge.

As is often the case with victims of Xi’s purges, a top Chinese general, He Weidon, has disappeared from public view, according to Washington Times.

He is a Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Xi is the Chairman of CMC.

If He has indeed been subjected to Xi’s purge, then he would join the ranks of a host of former generals and ministers who have disappeared from public view with little notice. In the name of cleaning the Chinese government of corruption, Xi has sacked and imprisoned a host of officials since coming to power in 2012. The real purpose of such purges is seen to place yes-men in positions to power to consolidate his own position and ensure that no one may challenge his authority.

The Times has reported that Xi has so far conducted 43 rounds of such purges.

Since taking over the CPC, Xi has gradually become the most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong founded the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. He has essentially become the ruler for life after removing two-term limit on his tenure.

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Why has Gen. He disappeared?

The disappearance of He is curious as he has been seen as a Xi loyalist over the years. He’s rise has been attributed to his association with Xi when he was serving in Fujian province in various capacities, including as the deputy party secretary and later as the provincial governor, according to Newsweek.

The outlet reported that He has been part of the so-called Fujian clique, a bunch of politicians and officials loyal to Xi whom he has appointed to key posts since taking over as China’s leader in 2012.

He, who has been missing for nearly two weeks, appears to be part of Xi’s purge to ensure ideological unity in the military, according to Washington Times.

Even though most of the officials are purged in the name of corruption, most of the ousters are actually part of Xi’s campaign of promoting ideological purity within the ranks and He appears to be the latest target of the campaign, as per the newspaper.

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A senior defence official told the newspaper that He was a target of Xi’s campaign to remove those from administration who he does not trust. The official implied that Xi did not trust He and did not find him adequately committed to the ideology.

As the Chinese military is essentially the armed wing of the CPC, there exists a system of political commissars within the military. Commissars are officers that ensure the military’s loyalty to the CPC. They are charged with the political indoctrination of the personnel so they stick to the party line. The Times noted that, of the two vice chairmen of CPC, one is always a commissar but He and his fellow vice chairman, Gen. Zhang Youxia, both came from operational backgrounds and neither was a commissar. So, the newspaper hinted that He’s purge may be related to his ideological reason as well.

Many top leaders purged

If He has indeed been purged, he would be the latest senior figure to become Xi’s victim.

Earlier this month, there were reports that Zhao Keshi, a former general, who headed the military logistics department, has been arrested in a corruption case.

In November, Xi sacked Admiral Miao Hua as the head of CMC’s political work department.

In June 2024, former Defence Ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe were expelled from the CPC. Li had previously been sacked as defence minister in October 2023 after disappearance of two months. He was charged with bribery. Wei had retired the previous year and was charged with bribery and profiting personally from his official positions in the CPC.

In July 2023, then-Foreign Minister Qin Gang was sacked after monthlong absence from public view. No explanation was provided for the sacking. The incumbent, Wang Yi, replaced him.

Earlier this month, a report by the Office of the US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) noted that both Li and Miao were considered “proteges” of Xi and yet they were purged, “demonstrating the seriousness of the CCP’s concerns regarding loyalty and effectiveness”.