Xi Jinping calls for absolute military loyalty as China widens anti-corruption purge

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday stressed the need for unwavering political loyalty within the country’s armed forces and called for intensifying the crackdown on corruption as a sweeping purge in the military continues to expand.

Speaking during a plenary session involving delegates from the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police Force, Xi emphasised that the armed forces must remain firmly aligned with the ruling Chinese Communist Party. His remarks were reported by the state-run Xinhua News Agency as China holds its annual “two sessions” gatherings of the nation’s top legislative and advisory bodies.

Xi said strict political discipline was essential within the military, declaring that there should be no room for individuals who show disloyalty to the Communist Party. His comments come amid an ongoing anti-corruption drive that has been underway for more than a decade and has increasingly targeted senior figures in the armed forces.

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An anti-corruption campaign launched by Xi shows no sign of letting up after more than a decade. The military has been targeted in recent years, including the removal of its top general last month, as Xi seeks to reform and modernize the armed forces.

Analysts say the campaign is also a way for Xi, who is in his 14th year in power, to remove potential rivals and ensure absolute loyalty among his subordinates.

The National People’s Congress last week dismissed nine military officers, including two under the Central Military Commission, the military’s highest body, as well as others from the army, the navy, the air force and the rocket force. Three generals were this week removed from China’s top political advisory body.

“There must be no hiding place for corrupt individuals,” Xi was cited by Xinhua as saying on Saturday. “The fight against corruption must be resolutely pushed forward.”

Chinese leaders this week also pledged a 7% defence budget growth for this year to about 1.9 trillion yuan ($270 billion), slightly lower than the about 7.2% annual increase over the last three years.

With inputs from agencies