The most striking outcome of the Chinese Communist Party’s Fourth Plenum in October was the sweeping purge of military officials at every level of the party’s decision-making structure. China specialists, including Francesco Sisci, have called it unparalleled in scale and duration, the biggest faced by the People’s Liberation Army in its hundred-year history. 

Eleven alternate members were promoted as full members to the Central Committee—not one was from the PLA. With no new military officers admitted to the party’s top decision-making body, Sisci argues the PLA has, in effect, been “demoted” and “seems to be under suspicion.” 

The Plenum was supposed to include 205 full members and 171 alternate members. Notably, 23 full members were absent, and 27 of the 44 military members had already been purged over the past year. Eight of the nine expelled PLA officers were full members of the Central Committee.

There’s no doubt the sweeping purge was ordered by President Xi Jinping. Though framed as a massive anti-corruption drive to cleanse the Party of nepotism, bribery and embezzlement, it is being seen as a sign of Xi’s deep distrust of the current military leadership. 

Historically, military purges often follow failed military coups, as leaders target officers deemed disloyal. Erdoğan’s sweeping crackdown........

© National Herald