Fresh doubts about China’s ability to invade Taiwan
How corruption in the PLA is changing the calculations of analysts
SINCE TAKING power in 2012, Xi Jinping has worked to purge corruption from the ranks of China’s armed forces. The country’s ability to fight and win wars depends on this effort, he has said. But even Mr Xi’s protégés, appointed to restore order, seem to be part of the rot. The latest sign came on November 28th, when the defence ministry announced that Admiral Miao Hua, one of China’s most senior officers (pictured, in white), had been suspended pending investigation for “serious violations of discipline”, often a euphemism for corruption. Ostracism or imprisonment will probably follow.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Bribes and brass”
From the December 7th 2024 edition
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