News: He Weidong Absent Again from Important Occasion, Cracking Down on Ongoing Rumors

The Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, He Weidong, has once again been absent from a high-level public event, sparking speculation about his whereabouts.

On April 2nd, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia and Beijing Party Secretary Yin Li went to Tongzhou, Beijing to participate in the annual Capital Tree Planting event. This event, which has been held for 43 years, is considered an important public engagement for senior military and government officials.

According to Xinhua News Agency, Zhang Youxia, Yin Li, as well as Central Military Commission members Liu Zhenli, Zhang Shengmin, among others, attended the event and planted more than 800 tree saplings with troops. However, He Weidong did not make an appearance and was not mentioned.

In recent years, the Vice Chairmen of the Military Commission have almost always attended this event. In 2024, Zhang Youxia, He Weidong, along with commission members Liu Zhenli, Miao Hua, and Zhang Shengmin participated in the tree planting event in Chaoyang District. In 2023, Zhang Youxia, He Weidong, commission members Li Shangfu, Liu Zhenli, Miao Hua, and Zhang Shengmin took part in the tree planting event in Haidian District. In 2022, Vice Chairman of the Military Commission Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia attended the tree planting event in Haidian District.

He Weidong’s absence this year is particularly unusual, leading to speculation that he may be a target of a new round of crackdown within the Communist Party’s military ranks.

When asked if He Weidong had been taken away at a press conference last week, the Ministry of National Defense of the Chinese Communist Party only responded that they “did not understand the relevant situation.”

Public information indicates that He Weidong’s last public appearance was on March 11th at the closing ceremony of the NPC of the Chinese Communist Party, and he has not attended any public events since then.

Newsweek and The Washington Post report that He Weidong may be under investigation for corruption. However, there is currently no public evidence to suggest any illegal behavior on his part.

If true, He Weidong would become the first Vice Chairman of the Military Commission to be investigated during his tenure since 1989. The last incident at a similar level occurred during Zhao Ziyang’s dismissal, when Zhao served as the First Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission.

In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party’s military has been rocked by a series of corruption cases, leading to the downfall of two Defense Ministers and the purge of several high-ranking officials affiliated with the Rocket Forces. Former Central Military Commission member Miao Hua was also suspended and investigated for “serious disciplinary violations,” a term often used euphemistically for corruption allegations.

Currently, no further information has been released by official sources regarding He Weidong’s situation.