Purge Deepens in China’s Air Force as Military Asks Public to Report Procurement Graft

Authorities seek tip-offs on corruption involving all aspects of hardware and services procurement for the military branch.

A People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force WZ-7 high-altitude reconnaissance drone is seen a day before the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai in southern China's Guangdong province, on Sept. 27, 2021. Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images

China’s military has opened a rare probe into corruption related to procurement practices within the air force, calling on the public to come forward with tips on any wrongdoing.

The investigation, announced in a Dec. 15 notice on the military’s official procurement platform, specifically targets the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force.