China’s Rocket Force Rocked by Purges, allegations of Missile Fraud
Beijing, China – A sweeping purge is underway within the People’s Liberation army (PLA) Rocket Force, with reports indicating the removal of numerous high-ranking officials, including Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission He Weidong, PLA Rocket Force Commander Wang Houbin, Eastern Theater Commander Lin Xiangyang, and former Southern Theater Commander Wang Xiubin. The crackdown has led to a widespread investigation into alleged corruption within the force.
According to X account @jianmang054A,the investigation has already implicated 11 generals,including all three commanders of the Rocket Force. While initial concerns centered on typical corruption schemes like “inflated prices and kickbacks,” sources now suspect a far more serious issue: fraudulent reporting of missile accuracy.
If confirmed, this would meen a notable portion of China’s missile arsenal may be non-functional, effectively rendering them “scrap iron” and incapable of achieving combat effectiveness.This revelation has prompted Beijing to take drastic action to rectify the situation.
Further fueling speculation, analysts suggest the investigation, if pursued further, could implicate zhang Youxia, a high-ranking military official. Reports indicate a strained relationship between Zhang and President Xi Jinping, leading to rumors he might potentially be forced to step down at the upcoming Fourth plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee.
In addition to the generals, reports indicate that 74 experts and 166 merchants connected to the Rocket Force have been banned from financial activities, suggesting a broad effort to uncover the extent of the alleged fraud and corruption.
The situation remains fluid, and the full scope of the purge and its implications for china’s military capabilities are still unfolding.
Sources:
* newtalk.tw: https://www.newtalk.tw/news/view/2024-03-02/994391
* X account @jianmang054A (as referenced in the Newtalk.tw article)
* X account @cskun1989 (for image sourcing as referenced in the Newtalk.tw article)