Behind Closed Doors: The Arrest of He Weidong and China’s Shadow Politics

David Feng, Director, China Affairs - 4/14/25

Image source: CNN

On March 11, 2025, just days after the conclusion of China’s annual plenary sessions of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, top general He Weidong—also vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the military decision-making body of the Chinese Communist Party—was reported missing. On March 17, he was confirmed to be detained on corruption charges. His arrest marked the fourth known case of a CMC member being detained for corruption, following Miao Hua, Li Shangfu, and Wei Fenghe. The ongoing disappearance and purge of high-ranking CCP and military officials is part of the broader anti-corruption campaign initiated by Xi Jinping since taking power in 2012.

He Weidong, born in May 1957 in Fujian province, rose through the ranks of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) beginning in 1972. He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1978 and later graduated from the Central Party School. Over the years, he held key positions including Chief of Staff of the 31st Group Army in 2007, district commander of the Jiangsu and Shanghai Garrisons, and in 2016, the first commander of the Western Theater Ground Force following military reforms. In 2019, he became commander of the Eastern Theater Command, a strategically critical post responsible for operations related to Taiwan and the East China Sea.

He Weidong’s rise to vice chairman of the CMC in 2022 surprised some observers, given that he had never previously served on the Commission. His ties to Fujian—where Xi Jinping built his political base—along with career overlaps in Jiangsu and Shanghai, have led many to categorize him as part of Xi’s faction. Some reports claim Xi personally visited He frequently between 2002 and 2007. Fittingly, He’s name, “Weidong” (卫东), means “defend the east,” a symbolic match to his former command.

The disappearance of He Weidong marks a new twist in Xi Jinping’s long-running anti-corruption campaign—particularly because He was perceived as a loyal ally. Since Xi took power in 2012, the campaign has eliminated numerous rivals and consolidated power within his inner circle. It began in earnest after a 2012 scandal involving Chongqing's police chief fleeing to a U.S. consulate, a dramatic episode that exposed a web of corruption and even led to rumors of an attempted coup. That scandal implicated top figures like Bo Xilai and Zhou Yongkang, both later sentenced to life in prison, along with military leaders such as Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou.

Although He’s detention is officially tied to corruption, it may also suggest deeper political currents within the CCP. Other high-profile figures like Li Shangfu and Qin Gang—both once seen as Xi allies—have also fallen from grace. Whether this reflects a sincere commitment to rooting out corruption or an ongoing consolidation of power remains uncertain. Either way, the arrest of someone as high-ranking and connected as He Weidong signals potential instability within China’s top leadership.

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