China names new second-highest-ranking general after military purge

The Chinese Communist Party has named a veteran who oversaw anti-corruption efforts in the military to become the country’s second-highest-ranking general, days after nine generals were expelled in a major purge.

The appointment of Zhang Shengmin as the second-ranking vice chairman of the Central Military Commission was announced after a four-day meeting of the Central Committee.

Zhang has become the third-highest official in the country’s top military establishment, succeeding First Vice President and President Xi Jinping.

The Nine expelled generals Serious financial crimes were suspected, China’s defense ministry said last week. However, analysts say it could also be seen as a political purge.

Their removal is one of the Chinese Communist Party’s biggest public crackdowns on the military in decades.

For months, the Central Military Commission has signaled a strike. In July, he issued new guidelines that called for eliminating “toxic influences” in the army and listed “iron rules” for cadres.

The crackdown follows smaller public purges of other military officials in recent years, including Former Defense Ministers Wei Feng and Li Shangfu.

After his promotion, Zhang, 67, will serve on the Central Military Commission with another senior vice chairman, Zhang Yuxia.

He is a General of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force and serves as the Deputy Secretary of the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Central Military Commission.

He came from the central province of Shaanxi and joined the army in 1978.

During the four-day meeting that ended on Thursday, the party’s central committee also approved a new five-year plan – a comprehensive document to guide its priorities.

The plan emphasizes “scientific and technological self-reliance,” which Chinese technology companies will need if the Trump administration continues to restrict access to computer chips and advanced software.

The document also calls for “accelerating the green transition” and “modernizing defence” as well as boosting domestic consumption to compensate for lost export revenue in a period of geopolitical uncertainty.