◎ The Chinese media is finally getting a better sense of the scale of Xi Jinping’s military reform.
The Chinese media is finally getting a better sense of the scale of Xi Jinping’s military reform.
According to a list collated by mainland Chinese news outlets, hundreds of generals have been transferred to new posts, with a total of 26 new army group commanders and political commissars.
Context: Xi announced sweeping military reforms at a grand parade in 2015. This year, Xi reduced the number of army groups from 18 to 13, allocating new unit numbers and replacing high-ranking generals.
Why it matters: Historically the Party has organized the Chinese military along Soviet lines. Xi’s military reforms and his anti-corruption campaign appear to be aimed at modernizing the military and clearing out Jiang’s influence.