“CCP Military Corruption Mentioned at Two Sessions, Mysterious Figure Appears in Delegation”

Beijing is currently hosting the national “Two Sessions” (the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the National People’s Congress), during which Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping addressed the issue of corruption while attending a meeting with representatives from the People’s Liberation Army yesterday, March 7.

According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi Jinping attended the PLA and armed police delegation meeting at the National People’s Congress. Official reports indicated that among the six military representatives who spoke, one person’s identity remained unknown, sparking attention.

Based on reports from Hong Kong’s Ming Pao, mainland media, and other public sources, it is known that among the speakers were Zhōu Gāng, Lǐ Dōng, Fēng Yàn, Zhèng Yuánlín, Cuī Dàohǔ, and Liú Shùwěi. They addressed issues related to coordinating weapons and equipment testing and evaluation resources, innovative planning and execution management, improving fiscal management efficiency, strengthening military industrial capacity assurance, advancing defense fortification construction, and making good use of resources in emerging fields.

It is noted that Fēng Yàn, the third speaker, had an unspecified background. Analyst Li Lin speculated to Dajiyuan that Fēng Yàn’s identity might be sensitive and thus not suitable for public disclosure. If the order of speakers is correct, Fēng Yàn’s topic involved “improving fiscal management efficiency,” seemingly related to military expenditure.

The Chinese Ministry of Finance revealed that China’s military budget for this year is 1.78 trillion yuan, marking a 7.2% increase compared to the previous year, maintaining the growth rate for the fourth consecutive year since 2022.

However, due to the opaque nature of the Chinese political system, it is widely believed internationally that with China’s undisclosed military budget, the actual military spending could be double or even multiple times the publicly announced budget.

Taiwanese expert Zhang Zhengxiu recently wrote in Newtalk News that China’s continuing 7.2% increase in military spending shows that the Chinese government is more focused on military expansion rather than economic recovery. This echoes back to the era of Mao Zedong’s “we would rather have atom bombs than pants,” indicating a resurgence of a militaristic agenda.

Chinese affairs expert Wang He previously told Dajiyuan that China’s pursuit of military expansion, especially leading up to the 100th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army in 2027, is seen as targeting military occupation of Taiwan. The growth rate of China’s military budget surpassing GDP growth, coupled with the actual military spending rates being even higher, suggests that China’s economic difficulties are not deterring its military expansion but rather spurring it on. The dangers posed by the Chinese regime should not be underestimated.

Official reports stated that during the meeting with military representatives yesterday, Xi Jinping emphasized the need to “thoroughly investigate corruption issues.”

Among the current National People’s Congress representatives who took office in March 2023, 14 military delegates have been removed from their positions due to suspected involvement in corruption cases related to the rocket force and equipment. This raises concerns about the increasing corruption within the Chinese military and casts doubt on its true combat capabilities.

On March 3 of this year, when the PLA and armed police delegations were formed to participate in the National People’s Congress, Chinese state media CCTV’s footage showed the reappearance of Army Commander Lǐ Qiáomíng, dispelling rumors of his fall from grace. However, among the three officials who were absent from a general promotion ceremony last year alongside Lǐ Qiáomíng, naval political commissar Yuán Huázhì and armed police commander Wáng Chūnníng, both National People’s Congress representatives, were missing from this year’s session, while former army political commissar Qín Shùtóng is not a member of the congress.