Third Chinese Defense Minister targeted by corruption investigation? Are Xi Jinping’s “personal ambitions” harming the PLA?

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun is under investigation for corruption, as reported by the British newspaper The Financial Times. This makes him the third consecutive Chinese defense minister to face corruption allegations, dealing a blow to President Xi Jinping's military modernization ambitions.

China's Defense Minister Dong Jun is reportedly under investigation for corruption as part of the Communist Party's anti-corruption campaign within the military.

According to the British daily, which cites American officials close to the matter, Admiral Dong would be scrutinized as part of a broader investigation into corruption within the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

China's Foreign Ministry rejected the claims on Wednesday, calling them mere shadow-hunting. Despite these denials, the reported investigation into Admiral Dong highlights growing scrutiny within China's military leadership, as two of his predecessors face allegations of corruption.

Dong is the third consecutive defense minister to be targeted, with his predecessors Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu already expelled from the Communist Party and under investigation for accepting bribes.

Admiral Dong under surveillance

Admiral Dong Jun, ensnared by President Xi's vast anti-corruption campaign within the People's Liberation Army (PLA), would be the subject of an investigation, according to American officials cited by the Financial Times . However, the specific allegations remain unclear and Admiral Dong has not publicly responded to these claims.

Admiral Dong, former PLA Navy chief, was last seen internationally on November 21, when he delivered a speech at the 11th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting in Laos .

There, he refused to meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, citing ongoing tensions over Taiwan. Austin expressed disappointment, noting that Dong had recently played a key role in improving military relations between the United States and China, with the two countries first holding commander-level talks in September of this year.

In Laos, Admiral Dong met with defense leaders from New Zealand, India, Malaysia and the ASEAN Secretary-General. However, earlier this year, Dong was not appointed to the top military decision-making body of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), an unusual development that raised questions about his tenure.

Pattern of corruption scandals in the Chinese military

If true, Admiral Dong Jun will become the third consecutive defense minister to face corruption allegations, underscoring the intensifying anti-corruption campaign within the Chinese military.

State media have confirmed that Dong's predecessors, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have been expelled from the Communist Party and are being investigated for corruption. If the investigation against Dong is confirmed, it would signal a further widening crackdown under President Xi Jinping.

Admiral Dong assumed the role of defense minister in December 2023, replacing General Li Shangfu, who was fired just seven months after taking office amid allegations of accepting bribes in exchange for favors, a violation of military and party discipline.

Before Li, Wei Fenghe served as defense minister for five years, but was also accused of abusing his position to obtain improper personnel advantages.

Both Wei and Li are expected to face prosecution in what is becoming one of the most significant corruption scandals to hit the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Notably, Wei previously led the PLA Rocket Force, while Li oversaw the development of advanced weapons, including missile systems. Rocket Force itself has come under scrutiny, with its former leader and chief of staff forced out and under investigation in July 2023.

The crackdown has extended to state-owned defense companies, with three senior officials from missile defense organizations dismissed from their posts in December 2023.

The developments reflect the broader scope of President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign, which appears to target China's military leadership.

Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign in the military

Since coming to power, Chinese President Xi Jinping has consolidated his authority with a historic third term, positioning himself as the most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. However, his regime faces significant challenges, including rising corruption within the military and the party.

Xi's anti-corruption campaign, launched in 2012, was initially seen as an effort for clean governance. However, critics say the system has become a tool for eliminating political rivals and consolidating personal power.

Xi's crackdown on corrupt generals aligns with his broader goal of transforming the People's Liberation Army (PLA) into a loyal, world-class military force. Speaking at a policy work conference of the Central Military Commission, he cited deep-rooted problems within the PLA, stressing the need for careful reflection and serious rectification. He also stressed: “The barrels of the guns must always be in the hands of those who are loyal and reliable to the party, and there must be no place for corrupt elements in the military to hide.”

Over the past decade, the anti-corruption campaign has led to the impeachment or investigations of many top military officials. Notably, nine top generals, including commanders of the PLA Rocket Force and the Navy, were fired. In December 2023, three senior executives of state-owned aerospace and defense companies were dismissed from the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Xi's campaign highlights his determination to align the PLA with the Communist Party's vision while eliminating corruption and dissent. However, the scale of the crackdown highlights the deep challenges he faces in reforming China's military-industrial complex.

Cracks in the armor

Xi Jinping's goal of transforming the PLA into a “world-class” military by 2050 faces significant challenges due to widespread corruption within the Defense Ministry and China's industrial base. The corruption scandal extends beyond individual ministers and affects critical military infrastructure.

Despite substantial investments in modernization, widespread corruption has eroded confidence in the PLA's overall capabilities, raising concerns that efforts to root out corruption could slow progress, particularly amid tensions growing geopolitics.

U.S. intelligence agencies are closely monitoring these developments, recognizing the potential strategic implications of widespread military corruption.

A recent Bloomberg report highlights troubling problems within the PLA's Rocket Force, which oversees China's nuclear arsenal. These include incidents such as missiles improperly filled with water instead of fuel silos and missiles built with faulty lids, compromising their functionality. The scale of corruption in this critical sector has raised international alarm.

Systematic corruption raises serious questions about the PLA's combat readiness, especially as China increases military pressure on Taiwan and asserts territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Although Xi remains committed to military modernization and eventual reunification with Taiwan, pervasive corruption threatens to undermine these ambitions. Ongoing investigations suggest that the path to a truly world-class military remains fraught with systemic pitfalls that cannot be easily resolved through top-down enforcement alone.

As the PLA continues to face increased scrutiny, the fundamental question remains: Can China's military truly transform itself while tackling such deep-rooted institutional corruption?

• Shubhangi Palve is a defense and aerospace journalist. Before joining the EurAsian Times, she worked for ET Prime. In this capacity, she focused on covering defense strategies and the defense sector from a financial perspective. She offers over 15 years of in-depth experience in the media industry, spanning print, electronic and online.
• Contact the author at shubhapalve (at) gmail.com