 "‘Shadow-chasing’: China on FT report that its defence minister is being probed for corruption")
“Just shadow-chasing” said the China’s foreign ministry, on Wednesday, when it was asked about a news report which claimed that the Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun has been placed under investigation for corruption.
The reply was given by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning during a regular news briefing after the Financial Times reported that Dong was under investigation as part of a wide-ranging anti-corruption probe that has roiled the top ranks of the People’s Liberation Army.
Ning, however, did not offer further information.
The FT report cited current and former US officials familiar with the situation as saying that Dong has been fired and was being investigated as part of a broader probe into graft in the PLA.
Also Read: Third in a row: China probes its defence minister for corruption
The report further mentioned the US official as saying that Chinese President Xi Jinping has been conducting a wave of investigations into the PLA that had ensnared Dong. However, it was not clearly known what kind of corruption allegations he is facing.
Dong, a former navy commander, was appointed as defence minister in December 2023. He replaced Li Shangfu who was removed from office in September 2023 after just seven months in the role and also expelled from the Communist Party in June 2024 for “serious violations of discipline.”
Li’s predecessor, Wei Fenghe, also faced similar accusations and was sacked in March 2023.
Also Read: Why China's defence ministers have been in the dock for 'corruption'
Since 2022, Xi has intensified the anti-corruption campaign within the Chinese military. Over nine PLA generals and multiple defence industry executives have been removed, including high-ranking officers from the Rocket Force, a strategic unit managing China’s nuclear and conventional missiles.
With inputs from agencies.
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