Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun is under investigation for corruption, according to a report on Wednesday, marking the latest high-ranking official caught in a widespread anti-graft campaign within China’s military.
The Financial Times, citing US officials familiar with the matter, said the investigation into Dong is part of a broader crackdown on military corruption. If confirmed, Dong would be the third consecutive Chinese defence minister to face such an investigation.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning dismissed the report during a regular briefing on Wednesday, calling it “chasing shadows” and providing no further details.
Dong, a former navy commander, was appointed defence minister in December following the sudden dismissal of his predecessor, Li Shangfu, who was removed after only seven months in the role. Li was later expelled from the Communist Party for suspected bribery, and he has not been seen in public since. His predecessor, Wei Fenghe, was also ousted and handed over to prosecutors for alleged corruption.
“It’s certainly a blow… because one would imagine they will be super careful to have someone very clean in this role,” said Dylan Loh, an assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. “Graft probes are very commonly targeted at the military because of the long historical ties between the business world and the PLA,” he added, referring to China’s military by its official name.
Beijing has intensified its anti-corruption efforts in the armed forces over the past year, with President Xi Jinping recently ordering the military to root out corruption and enhance its “war-preparedness.” This crackdown is partly motivated by concerns that corruption could undermine China’s military capabilities in a potential conflict, according to US officials.
“If the corruption probe into Dong Jun is true, it’s natural to question whether it could affect morale and impact the PLA’s combat effectiveness,” Loh noted.
The Rocket Force, responsible for China’s extensive arsenal of conventional and nuclear missiles, has faced particular scrutiny. In July, Sun Jinming, a senior official in the Rocket Force, was placed under investigation for corruption. He was expelled from the Communist Party for “grave violations of party discipline and laws,” a term often used to refer to corruption. At least two other senior officers linked to the Rocket Force have also been dismissed over graft.
Victor Shih, an expert on Chinese politics, noted that Dong “likely had authority over tens of billions in procurement per year” during his tenure in the navy. However, he added that competition for top positions in the military is fierce, and such rivalry could lead to cycles of arrests, new appointments, and mutual recriminations among officers.
