Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has expelled nine of his top military generals from the People's Liberation Army for what China says is corruption, including the country's number two general.
Gen. He Weidong, one of the two vice-chairs of the Central Military Commission, was fired by Xi. He was the third in command of the PLA and a member of the Chinese politburo.
"The removal of He Weidong is one of the biggest shake-ups within the PLA in decades," said Lyle Morris, an expert on the Chinese military at the Asia Society Policy Institute, the Financial Times reported. "He was on a fast track to become the next senior vice-chair of the [Central Military Commission], possibly replacing Zhang Youxia, and skipped a grade when he was elevated to the CMC during the 20th Party Congress."
Another high-ranking official removed in the purge is Miao Hua, the army's top political officer. He had been suspended in November 2024.
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