News Brief
Did China's Former Defence Minister Wei Fenghe Escape Xi Jinping's PLA Purge? Floral Tribute At A Chinese Official Event Suggests So
Former Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe
After months of absence from public view that fueled widespread speculation about his status, former Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe has seemingly reappeared in the political landscape.
His name was included on a floral tribute at the funeral of Oyunqemag, a former vice-chairwoman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.
The event, which was covered during a prime-time news bulletin on state broadcaster CCTV, displayed Wei’s floral tribute alongside those from other former state councillors.
Wei Fenghe, who served as the head of the PLA Rocket Force following its establishment on 31 December 2015, under President Xi Jinping's military reforms, vanished from the public eye after the removal of his successor, Li Shangfu, as defence minister in October last year.
Li was also stripped of his state councillor rank and ousted from the Central Military Commission.
This reappearance of Wei's name in an official capacity suggests that he may not have been a target in the broader purge of the PLA’s top ranks, which ensued following Li Shangfu’s dismissal, SCMP reported.
These purges have impacted several high-ranking officials, including Wei's successors in the rocket force and other senior PLA officers, all caught up in corruption probes.
Wei’s absence from key events such as the official National Day reception and his omission from the list of retired officials receiving Lunar New Year greetings had previously fuelled speculation about his fate.
The ongoing shake-up in the PLA continues to unfold as the new defence minister, Dong Jun, assumes his role without yet securing a position as a state councillor or a member of the Central Military Commission, departures from the norm for someone in his position.
These events are part of President Xi Jinping’s extensive anti-corruption campaign, which has previously seen fall of other high-ranking military officers, including Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, both CMC vice chairman.
Guo was jailed for life for bribery in 2016 while Xu died of cancer in 2015 while facing court martial.
