China's Military Purges Grow Deeper, Likely To Hinder Its Ability To Fight: Defence Think Tank

Last Updated:February 26, 2026, 11:01 IST

The report comes after China's two highest-ranked generals have become ensnared in disciplinary investigations in the highest-profile military purges in decades.

Ongoing corruption purges within China’s military are creating significant gaps in its command structure and are likely to undermine the readiness of its rapidly modernising armed forces, according to a leading defence research centre.

In its annual Military Balance report, the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said the sweeping investigations have left the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) operating with “serious deficiencies" at senior levels.

The crackdown has extended across the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), regional theatre commands, weapons procurement bodies and defence academia, and may not yet be complete.

“From an organisational perspective, until the vacancies are filled, the PLA is operating with serious deficiencies in its command structure," the London-based IISS said in its annual Military Balance.

However, the Chinese defence ministry is yet to respond to the claims.

The report comes after China’s two highest-ranked generals have become ensnared in disciplinary investigations in the highest-profile military purges in decades.

Zhang Youxia – a veteran military ally of President Xi Jinping – was placed under investigation in January and He Weidong was expelled in October last year.

As a result, China’s seven-member CMC has effectively been reduced to just two active members: Xi, who chairs the body, and newly promoted vice chairman Zhang Shengmin.

If personnel had been promoted due to connections, faulty weapons introduced through contract problems and wider morale hampered, “the purge is almost certain to have a near-term impact", the report said.

However, the report mentions that the effects are “temporary", adding “modernisation is likely to continue apace".

The report also highlighted Beijing’s expanding military power across the Indo-Pacific, particularly stepped-up deployments around Taiwan in 2025, as part of efforts to reinforce territorial claims and diplomatic leverage.

Xi made a rare public reference to the crackdown in a virtual address to China’s armed forces earlier this month. “The past year has been unusual and extraordinary," Xi said.

“The People’s Army has deepened its political education, effectively addressed various risks and challenges, and undergone revolutionary forging in the fight against corruption," the President added.

According to the IISS, China’s defence spending continues to rise faster than that of other Asian countries amid a global surge in military budgets. Its share of total regional defence expenditure reached nearly 44% in 2025, up from an average of 37% between 2010 and 2020.

(With Reuters inputs)

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