BEIJING — Recent changes in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) leadership reveal that while newly promoted full generals have taken charge of key commands, many senior positions remain occupied by acting or unconfirmed officers. Analysts interpret this as a sign that President Xi Jinping’s effort to rebuild the military’s top brass is still incomplete amid a wide-ranging anti-corruption purge.

As many as 20 key PLA positions have been reassigned following the purges, according to the South China Morning Post on August 5th. The upheaval has left the seven-member Central Military Commission (CMC), formed after the 20th Party Congress in 2022, with only two active members: Xi as chairman and vice-chairman Zhang Shengmin.

Nathan Attrill, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), told CNA, “The PLA is restoring day-to-day command and organisational continuity faster than Xi Jinping is rebuilding confidence in the officers now filling senior roles.” He added that Xi is cautious about granting permanent appointments and full institutional authority to many officers, relying instead on deputies and senior officers to maintain operational continuity.

Shanshan Mei, a political scientist at the RAND Corporation, noted that formal appointments have appeared in some of the most strategically important commands, including the Eastern and Central theatres. However, a much larger layer underneath is managed by lower-ranked, unannounced acting officers. Several emerging officers have significant institutional experience across different branches of the military.

Wilder from Georgetown University highlighted the prominence of officers with air force backgrounds in the new leadership, including Wang, Yang, and Han, all formally elevated to senior commands.

The former 31st Group Army, based in Fujian before its 2017 reorganisation as the 73rd Group Army, has drawn scrutiny because senior officers, including former CMC members He and Miao, served there. Analysts view this group as part of a Fujian-linked cohort with ties to Xi’s years working in the province.

These developments underscore the ongoing challenges and cautious approach in Xi Jinping’s military leadership rebuild amid efforts to maintain command continuity and address misconduct within the PLA.

Sources