the Minister of Defense targeted by an investigation for corruption, according to the “Financial Times”

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun is under investigation for corruption, reports Financial Times Wednesday November 27. Citing former and current US officials familiar with the matter, the British business daily says the investigation is part of broader investigations into corruption within the military. Neither the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Chinese Embassy in Washington responded to AFP's requests.

A former navy commander, Dong Jun was appointed defense minister in December 2023, following the sudden ousting of his predecessor Li Shangfu, just seven months after taking office. The latter was subsequently expelled from the Chinese Communist Party, being “suspected of corruption” and accused of having 'received huge sums of money'according to state television. His own predecessor, Wei Fenghe, also suspected of corruption, had also been removed from the party.

Since coming to power a little over ten years ago, Xi Jinping has led a vast campaign to crack down on corruption among civil servants, which has extended to the army. His detractors believe that it serves to eliminate his rivals on the political level. In early November, President Xi Jinping ordered the military to“investigate corruption and unhealthy tendencies among officers and soldiers and (d’y) remedy”.