Chinese President Xi Jinping inspects much purged Rocket Force; calls for strengthening deterrence capabilities
The Hindu
Chinese President Xi Jinping inspects Rocket Force, key military arm operating missiles, amid anti-corruption purge, state media reports.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has inspected a brigade of the military's strategic missile force that underwent a massive purge of officials for corruption in recent years, according to a media report on Saturday (October 19, 2024).
Prez Xi on Thursday (October 17, 2024) visited at Hefei the Chinese People's Liberation Army’s (PLA) Rocket Force, a key arm of the military operating the missiles, including nuclear weapons, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
He urged the strategic missile troops to strengthen their deterrence and combat capabilities and resolutely fulfil the tasks entrusted by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the people.
The Rocket Force, established in 2015 as part of Prez Xi's military overhaul, has been at the centre of the latest anti-corruption campaign targeting the military.
Besides heading the ruling CPC and the Presidency, 71-year-old Prez Xi also heads the Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the Chinese military.
His visit to the Rocket Force, which operates the country’s most powerful long and short-range missiles, was considered significant due to the massive purges seen at the key military arm driven by alleged graft at its top echelons in recent years.
The unspecified allegations against many of its officials included the use of substandard fuel for the missiles.