China Axes 8 from Top Advisory Body, Including 4 Defense Firm Chiefs, in Widening Purge

Another political tremor has hit China's military-industrial complex. China's top political advisory body has ousted eight of its members, including four former bosses of major defense companies, signaling that President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign in the military sector is far from over.

The National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) endorsed the removals at a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday, according to state news agency Xinhua. A revocation of membership, rather than a resignation, typically indicates that an individual is suspected of serious disciplinary violations or facing corruption charges. While there's been no official statement about investigations, some of the individuals have not been seen in public for months.

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Among the four defense figures removed is Cao Jianguo, the former chairman of Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), a key supplier of engines for China's military and commercial aircraft. The move is the latest in Xi's sweeping anti-graft drive targeting the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its vast network of equipment suppliers, which has already led to the removal of dozens of top generals and senior executives.

A Pattern of Enforcement

Losing CPPCC membership is often a precursor to formal legal proceedings and is widely seen as a politically fatal blow. It suggests that party-led investigations are underway, even before any public announcement. This development reaffirms the leadership's resolve to impose stricter discipline on the crucial defense sector, which is central to China's ambitions for military modernization.