China: He Weidong’s Disappearance Deepens Military Mystery
General He Weidong (Image credit X.com)
Top Chinese Military Official He Weidong Disappears Amid Ongoing Purges
By TRH News Desk
New Delhi, April 14, 2025: Disappearance of General He Weidong, second top-most Chinese military official, has deepened ongoing purge in China. He’s disappearance, not seen for over a month in public, comes close on heels of several top functionaries in Chinese military vanishing in recent years.
General He is Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission (CMC). He is one of the highest-ranking officers in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Financial Times (FT) in a report said that General He has not been seen in public since attending the National People’s Congress on March 11, 2025.
His absence has fuelled speculation of a high-level purge within China’s military leadership. He is seen to be the latest in a series of senior defence officials to vanish.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, reports said, has undertaken an anti-corruption drive within the defence forces of the Communist-ruled country.
General He is described as the No. 2 uniformed officer in the PLA and a close ally of Xi. FT reported that the General was absent from a ceremonial tree-planting event in early April, a decades-old tradition for military leaders.
Reports from multiple sources, including The Financial Times and Nikkei Asia, suggest General He is under investigation for corruption. China observers state that corruption is the plank which is used in purges in the military establishment in Beijing.
Xi has carried out intense purges within the political and military wings of the Chinese Communist party during his second term, which has only gained force in his third term. Xi sits over China’s opaque power structure.
The Chinese government has not officially commented on General He’s disappearance. The Chinese Defence Ministry has only maintained per multiple reports that it is “unaware” of any detention.
This development comes against a backdrop of intensifying purges within China’s military and political elite, raising questions about stability in the world’s second-largest economy. Over the past five years, several high-profile defence officials have disappeared, often without clear explanations, only to resurface facing charges or quietly fade from public life.
A Pattern of Disappearances
Since 2020, Xi’s anti-corruption drive has targeted numerous senior military and defence figures, reflecting his determination to maintain absolute control over the PLA as tensions rise with the United States, Taiwan, and other neighbours.
Li Shangfu, former Defence Minister, vanished in September 2023 after serving just seven months as defence minister. Officially, he was removed for “serious violations of discipline”, a euphemism for corruption.
His ousting followed scrutiny over procurement deals tied to the PLA’s Rocket Force, which oversees China’s nuclear arsenal.
Wei Fenghe, former Defence Minister, who was Li’s predecessor, had also disappeared from public view in mid-2023 alongside investigations into the Rocket Force. Once a trusted Xi confidant, he has not reappeared, and no official statement has clarified his status.
In 2023, PLA Rocket Force Leaders — two senior commanders of the Rocket Force, responsible for China’s strategic missiles — were removed amid allegations of leaking sensitive information and financial misconduct. Their disappearances underscored Xi’s focus on rooting out vulnerabilities in critical military branches, said China observers.
In another mystery, General Zhang Xudong, the commander of the Western Theater Command, overseeing India-China border tensions, died suddenly in 2021 under unclear circumstances. While officially attributed to illness, his death followed rumours of political disloyalty.
These cases, among others, highlight a recurring pattern: senior officials vanish, official silence follows, and speculation fills the void. Analysts suggest Xi’s purges serve dual purposes — eliminating corruption and consolidating power by removing potential rivals or factional leaders.
He Weidong’s Case: A New Escalation
He Weidong’s disappearance is particularly significant given his rank and proximity to Xi. As a Politburo member and CMC vice chairman, he wielded immense influence over military strategy and operations.
His long-standing ties to Xi, dating back to their time in Fujian province decades ago, made him a trusted figure, amplifying the shock of his potential ousting.
If confirmed, General He would be the first sitting CMC vice chairman purged in over 60 years, a move not seen since the 1989 Tiananmen Square fallout.
CNN quoted sources, saying that General He may have been detained for questioning over corruption, possibly linked to military budgets or resource allocations. His secretary is also reportedly under investigation for leaking classified information, adding to the turmoil.
The US intelligence officials, as reported by the Washington Times, believe Xi is using such cases to ensure loyalty within the PLA, especially as China faces economic challenges and geopolitical friction.
Victor Shih, a China expert at UC San Diego, noted on social media that General He’s potential fall could trigger further removals, signalling deeper factional struggles. “What happens to He Weidong gives us a window into how China’s political system is being restructured under Xi,” Shih wrote.
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