How Purges Are Affecting Chinese Military Readiness and Taiwan Contingencies

Since 2022, Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping has purged at least 100 senior military officials, according to a February report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, with more cases occurring since then. The rate of dismissals and disappearances has increased substantially in the last two years. Recent examples include Gen. Zhang Youxia, Gen. Liu Zhenli, and Zhong Shaojun, formerly the head of the General Office of the Central Military Commission. Many of these officials have been accused of corruption, with some facing trial.These widespread purges have fundamentally changed the high command of China’s military at a time when the country is working to build up its military capabilities. We asked five experts for their views on what the Chinese military purges mean for the future of China’s armed forces.Read more below.Yun Sun Senior Fellow and Director of the China Program at the Stimson Center Military leadership purges have had a critical impact on the institution’s foundation. Political allegiance to the top leader is prioritized over professional competence. Internal political struggle has overtaken operational priorities as the most pressing agenda on a personal level. The chilling effect of the purges leaves no one safe, regardless of their rank or relationship with the top leader. Social trust and morale also have plummeted consequently.The Chinese military remains a formidable force, especially given the continued modernization of its hardware capabilities. But the rebuilding of the general officers’ corps will take time, and it will take even longer to rebuild trust, stabilize the military leadership, and normalize the command-and-control system. The purges might have strengthened the civilian leader’s control of the military, but the military was nevertheless crippled during the process.Jaehwan Lim Professor, School of International Politics, Economics, and Communication at Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo The purges will continue, and each round will Members-Only ContentThis article is reserved for War on the Rocks members. Join our community to unlock exclusive insights and analysis.