A Former Defense Minister’s Rise and Fall in the CCP

Gen. Wei’s fate is a microcosm of the factional infighting to control the levers of power of the CCP regime.

China's Defence Minister Wei Fenghe (top L) salutes as China's leader Xi Jinping (bottom) arrives for the opening ceremony of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 4, 2023. Noel Celis /AFP via Getty Images

Gen. Wei Fenghe, the first People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officer to receive the rank of general by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the man he promoted as commander of the Rocket Force, and the man whom he appointed Defense Minister, has ended his 53-year military career, falling in a political purge of the Rocket Force.

All happened in months because Mr. Xi lost trust in the leadership of the Rocket Force.