Two Top Chinese Air Force Generals Vanish, Fueling Fears of Widening Military Purge

Two more top generals have vanished from public view in China, fueling speculation that President Xi Jinping's sweeping military purge is accelerating. The commander and political commissar of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force were conspicuously absent from a key political event, suggesting the anti-corruption campaign continues unabated.

The Missing Generals

According to footage broadcast by state television CCTV, General Chang Dingqiu, the Air Force commander, and General Guo Puxiao, its political commissar, were not present at a ceremony in Beijing on Monday. The event was led by President Xi Jinping himself. Ironically, the ceremony was held to fill top-level vacancies that were created by the very same anti-graft crackdown.

An Unending Campaign

The absence of the two generals is seen as the latest development in Xi's decade-long anti-corruption campaign within the military. Analysts believe the campaign serves a dual purpose: to root out corruption and, more importantly, to consolidate Xi's control by removing anyone whose loyalty is in question. This follows the high-profile removals of the defense minister and top commanders of the PLA Rocket Force, raising concerns that the purge is now reaching the Air Force.