Exclusive | Xi Jinping ‘plots shake-up’ of men running China’s massive military machine
President might divide duties for the PLA’s day-to-day operations among more generals to prevent collusion and to streamline decision-making, sources say
China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) could expand one of its top tiers to better grapple with the day-to-day running of the world’s biggest military.
Sources close the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said two or three officers could be promoted to vice-chairmen to complement the two-man structure already in place.
The new line-up will be revealed on Wednesday after the Communist Party ends its five-yearly national congress in Beijing.
Several sources said the result would be a compromise between the wishes of President Xi Jinping, who chairs the CMC, and those of various political and military vested interest groups.
“Xi wants to share the political and administrative powers of the two CMC vice-chairmen because he has realised that the existing structure is incapable of managing the CMC’s day-to-day affairs,” one source said.
“Too much paperwork has built up awaiting approval since the four former general headquarters were replaced by 15 smaller functional units. But none of the 15 department heads is real decision maker.”
In January, Xi dissolved the PLA’s four former general staff, general political, general logistics and general armaments headquarters and distributed their powers among the 15 new departments.