Chinese President Xi Jinping promoted two senior military officers to the rank of general on Friday and appointed one of them to head the armed forces' top anti-corruption body, continuing efforts to rebuild military leadership after a sweeping anti-graft purge.
Promotions and Appointments
At a ceremony in Beijing, Xi elevated Zhang Shuguang, a veteran People's Liberation Army (PLA) anti-corruption official, and Wang Gang, commander of the PLA Air Force, to the highest active-duty military rank, state media reported. Zhang was simultaneously named head of the Central Military Commission's (CMC) Discipline Inspection Commission, replacing Zhang Shengmin as the military's chief anti-graft watchdog.
Zhang Shengmin had led the commission since 2017 and retained the role even after becoming a CMC vice chairman in 2025. The appointments mark a continuation of Xi's years-long campaign against corruption within the military, during which scores of senior officers and top generals have been investigated, dismissed, or purged.
Context of Anti-Corruption Campaign
In May, two former defence ministers received suspended death sentences on corruption charges. The purge has targeted high-ranking officials across the PLA, signaling Xi's determination to root out graft and tighten control over the military.
Neil Thomas, a fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York, said Xi appeared to believe tighter political control would strengthen the PLA's effectiveness and enhance its ability to project power over Taiwan and in the South China Sea.
