Beijing Censors Military Call to ‘Fight Fake Combat Capabilities’

BEIJING, CHINA - MARCH 8: Chinese military delegates arrive at the second plenary session of the National Peoples Congress at the Great Hall of the People on March 8, 2024 in Beijing, China. China's annual political gathering known as the Two Sessions convenes leaders and lawmakers to set the government's agenda for domestic economic and social development for the year. Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

News Analysis

He Weidong, a vice-chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission, vowed in the Two Sessions in early March to “crackdown on fake combat capabilities.” However, the phrase has since vanished from the Chinese social media platform Weibo and major state-run media outlets. Analysts speculate that it exposes Chinese military strength as being exaggerated.