of financial times (FT)Wednesday reported China's Eastern Military Defense Minister is reportedly under investigation on corruption charges.
Dong is the third defense minister in a row to be indicted on corruption charges, all of whom were handpicked by dictator Xi Jinping. They were all from different branches of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
“In 2018, Mr. Xi went against tradition by appointing Mr. Wei, a former PLA Rocket Force, to the post rather than the rank of general. The results of the search assured him that the inspection was rigorous. Therefore, Mr. Xi is left wondering, “Which parts of the People's Liberation Army are not corrupt?” '' said Christopher Johnson, a former CIA analyst. FT.
Dong took office in December 2023 after his predecessor, Li Shangfu, disappeared and was later sacked for corruption. Li was the successor to Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, who was investigated for corruption charges after his resignation.
F.T. It quoted a US official as saying that Mr Dong had been “caught up” in the latest corruption investigation into the People's Liberation Army initiated by Mr Xi. The exact nature of the charges against him was not clear.
A hint that Mr. Dong may be in trouble was announced by the Chinese Communist Party in August. stand out We're screwed Add him to the Central Military Commission (CMC). China's defense minister is almost always appointed as a member of the committee, which Xi himself chairs.
The Minister of Defense is also usually appointed to the State Council and can serve as Prime Minister, the second highest-ranking official in the Chinese government. Mr. Dong was also unable to obtain consent from the State Councilor.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning dismissed the remarks on Wednesday. F.T. Reports that “catch wind and shadow” or spread rumors. She declined to answer further questions about the report.
of South China Morning Post (SCMP) noticed Mao's dismissal was phrased somewhat differently than Mao's response to reports of Li Shangfu's dismissal last September, but this story was also broken by the Chinese Communist Party. financial times. On a previous occasion, Mao dismissed the question, saying he was “not aware of the situation.”
