China Removes Senior Military Leader Miao Hua from Key Ruling Position Amid Major Purge

BEIJING — China’s top legislative body has voted to remove Miao Hua, a senior military official, from the Central Military Commission, which is the nation’s highest military authority. This decision was confirmed in a statement published on Friday by Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency. Miao, aged 69, has been under investigation since November for “serious violations of discipline.” He previously held the position of political ideology chief for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and was also suspended from his duties.

While the Xinhua report did not provide extensive details, this action is a continuation of President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign within China’s military. This campaign has already led to the investigation of over a dozen PLA generals and several executives in the defense sector. In recent weeks, Miao’s image was removed from the senior leadership section of the Ministry of Defense website, a sign of his diminishing status. Last month, he was also dismissed from China’s national legislature for the same reasons of serious violations.

Miao was based in Fujian province during Xi’s tenure as a local official, where Xi personally appointed him to the Central Military Commission. The political ramifications of Miao’s removal are significant, reflecting Xi’s effort to consolidate power and address corruption. Another member of the Central Military Commission, He Weidong, who is the second-ranking general, has not been seen publicly since the closing ceremony of the annual parliamentary sessions on March 11. His absence from various high-profile political and military events has raised concerns, although China’s defense ministry has stated they are “unaware” of any detention.

In recent developments, two former defense ministers have been expelled from the Communist Party due to corruption, highlighting the serious scrutiny facing military officials in China.