China promotes two new generals as Xi reshapes military after anti-graft purge

China has promoted two senior military officers to the rank of general in a move that could signal a broader reshuffle of the country’s top military leadership following the removal of several senior commanders in an ongoing anti-corruption campaign.

The leadership changes are widely seen as part of President Xi Jinping’s efforts to reform the military, reinforce its loyalty to the ruling Communist Party, and accelerate the modernization of China’s armed forces as Beijing pursues its strategic ambitions in the Indo-Pacific, including its claims over Taiwan and other disputed territories.

Xi, who also chairs the Central Military Commission (CMC), on Friday presented promotion orders to Zhang Shuguang and Air Force commander Wang Gang at an official ceremony. Zhang was also appointed head of the CMC’s anti-corruption body, which investigates graft within the armed forces.

The promotions could position both officers to fill vacancies on the seven-member Central Military Commission, whose ranks have been significantly depleted after a series of corruption investigations removed several senior leaders.

Analysts believe Zhang is the stronger contender for a seat on the commission. Wang’s prospects are considered less certain, as two other senior Air Force commanders leading the PLA’s Central and Eastern Theater Commands were promoted to general in December.

“Wang Gang is part of a new generation of PLA Air Force elites with substantial operational experience who have been entrusted with increasingly important roles following the latest wave of military purges,” said James Char, assistant professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

The Central Military Commission is currently chaired by Xi, with Vice Chair Zhang Shengmin serving as its only other active member. Two former vice chairs, including the PLA’s highest-ranking general, have either been removed or sidelined amid the anti-graft campaign.

According to analysts, the purges have effectively dismantled the military’s major internal factions, giving Xi greater freedom to handpick a new generation of loyal commanders.

However, K. Tristan Tang, a nonresident fellow at the US-based National Bureau of Asian Research, said the limited number of recent promotions suggests Xi is proceeding cautiously.

“He is still watching, testing and vetting these senior PLA lieutenant generals,” Tang said.

A new Central Military Commission is expected to be unveiled at the next Communist Party Congress in the autumn of next year, when the current five-year term of the commission comes to an end.