Thinking About China
Opinion

China’s Military Purge Signals Deepening Crisis at the Top

China’s Military Purge Signals Deepening Crisis at the Top
Delegates from the Chinese military seen before the closing session of China's rubber-stamp legislature, the National People's Congress, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 11, 2025. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Wang Youqun
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Commentary

China’s Ministry of National Defense on July 31 held a reception in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, where the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) rubber-stamp legislature meets, to mark the 98th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). What drew people’s attention was not the speeches, but who was absent from the event.

Wang Youqun
Wang Youqun
Author
Wang Youqun holds a doctorate in law from the Renmin University of China. He previously worked as a copywriter for Wei Jianxing (1931–2015), a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee, from 1997 to 2002.