US intelligence has learned that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has carried out a sweeping purge of the military over rampant corruption, undermining his efforts to modernize the military and calling into question China's ability to wage war.
U.S. intelligence revealed details of large-scale corruption in the Chinese army
American officials believe corruption in China's missile forces and throughout the country's defence and industrial base is so extensive that Xi is unlikely to plan large-scale military operations in the coming years.
As the agency Bloomberg writes, the American side cited several examples of such corruption in Chinese defence circles. In particular, the missiles are fueled with water instead of fuel, and the vast missile minefields in western China are not functioning correctly to allow the missiles to launch effectively.
According to the U.S., the agency said corruption in China's People's Liberation Army has undermined confidence in its overall capabilities, particularly regarding missile forces, and set back some of Xi's key modernisation priorities.
Over the past six months, more than a dozen high-ranking defence officials have been detained due to a bribery investigation in China, which may be the largest crackdown on military personnel in China's modern history.
At the same time, the U.S. estimates that the purges in military circles show that Xi's hold on power remains strong and that he is serious about improving discipline, rooting out corruption and, ultimately, preparing China's armed forces for long-term combat.
