Key facts
- The PLA's top anti-graft officer, Zhang Shengmin, concluded a training course for senior military officials.
- The course emphasized boosting loyalty to the Communist Party and continuing 'political rectification'.
- President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the unprecedented two-month-long course.
- The training aims to reinforce political discipline and identify suitable officers for higher positions.
- The initiative is part of a wider anti-corruption campaign within the PLA, which has led to the purge of over 100 senior officials.
The People's Liberation Army's (PLA) top anti-graft officer, Zhang Shengmin, has urged continuing efforts to boost loyalty to the Communist Party and engage in "political rectification" as an unprecedented training course for senior military officials concluded. The two-month program, which began on April 8, was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping at its opening ceremony.
Zhang, who is also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), stated that the training sharpened participants' ideological transformation and sense of responsibility, aiming to greet the PLA's 100th anniversary next year with a renewed political outlook. This initiative is part of a broader anti-corruption and power-consolidation drive within the PLA, which has seen over 100 senior officials purged in recent years.
Analysts suggest this training is a political filtration mechanism to remove perceived disloyal elements and cultivate a cleaner cohort for future leadership roles. The campaign aims to enforce elite discipline, strengthen loyalty to the party's core, and ensure obedience to President Xi Jinping's command. Efforts are also being made to improve combat-oriented training and preparedness to safeguard national interests.