China’s Defense Ministry has declined to comment on reports that He Weidong, the nation’s No. 3 military official, has been detained and is under investigation for corruption, Bloomberg reports.
During a regular briefing in Beijing on Thursday, Defense Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian stated he was “unaware” of the reports when questioned about He Weidong’s alleged detention. Newsweek and the Washington Times have both reported that He, a vice chair of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), is believed to be the subject of a corruption probe.
He Weidong was last seen publicly on March 11 at the closing ceremony of the annual National People’s Congress in Beijing. As of now, there is no public evidence indicating that He has committed any offense.
This silence echoes a similar situation last year when China initially dismissed reports of an investigation into then-Defense Minister Dong Jun as “pure fabrication” during a Defense Ministry briefing.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the world’s largest military force by active personnel, has been grappling with persistent corruption scandals in recent years. These scandals have led to the ouster of the past two defense ministers, several officials linked to the secretive Rocket Force, and even Miao Hua, a member of the nation’s top military body led by President Xi Jinping.
The anti-corruption campaign within the PLA appears to be ongoing. This week, Xinhua News Agency reported the expulsion of Tang Yong, an official from the CMC’s anti-graft committee, from China’s top political advisory body.
