China’s near-term goal of modernizing the military could be hampered by its corruption scandals, a senior US defense official said on Monday.
“The substantial problems they have with corruption that have yet to be resolved certainly could slow them down on the path toward the 2027 capabilities development milestone and beyond,” the official told journalists during a press briefing.
A transcript of the briefing was published on Wednesday, the same day the Defense Department released its annual assessment on China’s military capabilities.
According to the Pentagon report, at least 15 senior Chinese military officials and defense industry executives were fired from their positions between July and December 2023.
Last month, the Financial Times reported that Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun was being investigated for corruption, the third consecutive user in a position to be investigated. A Defense Ministry spokesperson denied the Financial Times report, calling it “pure fabrication. ”
Also last month, China’s defense ministry said a senior military official, Adm. Miao Hua, was suspended and under investigation for “serious violations of discipline.” The accusation usually refers to corruption.
The 69-year-old oversaw political indoctrination in the People’s Liberation Army and served on the Central Military Commission. The six-person commission, chaired by China’s leader, Xi Jinping, oversees China’s armed forces.
Miao’s suspension comes just a year after the dismissal of China’s last defense minister, Gen. Li Shangfu. Li served for seven months before being removed from office.
Li and his predecessor, Wei Fenghe, were expelled from the Chinese Communist Party for alleged corruption in June. They were also stripped of their ranks in the army.
“In 2023, a new wave of corruption-like investigations and the dismissal of senior leaders would likely have disrupted the PLA’s progress toward its stated 2027 modernization goals,” the Pentagon report says.
Earlier this year, US intelligence highlighted corruption effects including missiles filled with water and intercontinental ballistic missile silos sporting improperly functioning lids that could derail a missile launch.
U. S. intelligence resources told Bloomberg in January that corruption was so severe within China’s Rocket Force and the PLA in general that it would likely force Xi to recalibrate Beijing’s ability to take primary military action soon.
U. S. Xi officials need China to be in a position to invade Taiwan by 2027. China first announced its modernization goal in October 2020. The 2027 milestone will coincide with the 100th anniversary of Taiwan’s founding. ‘APL.
“That doesn’t mean he’s going to invade in 2027 or any other year,” CIA leader William J. Burns said in an interview with CBS in February 2023.
Representatives from China’s defense and foreign ministries responded to Business Insider’s requests for comment.
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